Stellantis is selling a test site in the USA. The concern is closing the research center in Arizona and selling the runway, located on 4,000 acres of land (1,600 hectares). It originally housed an artillery school, and in the mid-1950s the site, along with the range, was purchased by Ford.
In 2007, the site changed hands, with the new buyer being Chrysler, which paid Ford the sum of $35 million. There, along with conventional cars, tuned versions of cars are tested, among which is, for example, the Ram TRX. The research center currently employs about 100 people, most of whom are members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.
The organization has not yet commented on the closure of the center and depot, reports The Drive with reference to CNBC. However, it is known that in addition to this facility, Stellantis plans to divest 17 more facilities as part of a cost-cutting program.
Despite the sale of the test site, the concern will continue to test cars in Arizona, but at another track that is owned by Toyota. But the Japanese also find maintenance expensive, so the Japanese automaker agreed to share the cost with Stellantis.