Porsche recently announced that the Nardo Ring has re-opened following a 7 month, 35 million euro investment. The German sports car manufacturer purchased the former Fiat test site in 2012. Porsche have invested in the site with modernisation as its goal.
The circuit is legendary. It features a 12.6 kilometre circular exterior track which has been the scene of world record attempts. Yet it also incorporates a 6.222 km handling circuit and many other testing facilities.
The work carried out by Porsche includes laying new asphalt to the main circuit. Porsche also designed a new guardrail system for Nardo to aid high speed testing, although it is not yet clear what makes the system so different from a traditional system.
The complex includes more than 20 tracks. 90 automotive companies are among its customers and it employs more than 150 people. It was the scene for Koenigsegg’s 388 km/h top speed record run. Volkswagen’s W12 also set world records for all speed classes over 24 hours covering a distance of 7,740.576 kilometres at an average speed of 322.891 km/h.
It is unclear whether Porsche will sanction more record attempts at Nardo. This seems unlikely given Volkswagen’s recent preference for its other high speed test track, Ehra-Leissen which features a 9 km straight. This is where Bugatti tests its hypercars.
