The GM Performance Division combines the passion of its people with the impressive development capabilities of General Motors to create vehicles that people absolutely 'have to drive'.

The CTS-V is a great example of this synergy. If you've ever driven or ridden in one during a swift run up through the gears, stomp on the brakes and yank through a tight corner, you know this vehicle was created by people that love building and driving fun, fast, good looking performance cars.

But be warned, you won't want to drive anything else once you've experienced a GM Performance Division-tuned vehicle!

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To have the GM Performance Division recognized as the best at creating image and performance vehicles and powertrains.

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The GM Performance Division is a team filled with passionate automotive enthusiasts delivering compelling total vehicle design and performance that sets standards and wins in the Global marketplace.

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The Vehicle Performance Center

The GM Performance Division is based in the 'Vehicle Performance Center' (VPC) building located on the east side of the sprawling General Motors Technical Center campus in Warren, Michigan. The VPC has 18 full-instrumented engine dyno cells, a complete engine-building center complimented by full fabrication capabilities, multiple chassis test cells (often called '7 post chassis dynos'), substantial office space and even its own cafeteria.

One of the more prominent features of the VPC is its impressive lobby. Loaded with performance components, vehicles and video screens playing activities of the organization, it is informative, entertaining and a destination for many engineers meeting outside contacts.

One of the busiest areas in the VPC Lobby is the video-driving simulator. Here, VPC engineers can race each other on the Nurburgring racetrack to experience what all GM Performance Vehicles are subjected to during development!

Warren Technical Center

The Mechanical Assembly Garage has been involved in many critical projects as the center for GM Performance Division vehicle work at the Warren Tech Center. This facility is where the '55 repli-racer stock car (see update in the Performance Pulse section of this site) honoring the small block V8 was recently put together, where the testbed SUVs loaded with wild V16 prototype Caddy showcar engines were made roadworthy (two years ago) for the 'Sixteen' showcar and where much of the Woodward Dream Cruise Enthusiast cars (like last year's GTO and Canyon truck) were made roadworthy. Staffed by enthusiasts and able to produce under pressure, the 'Garage' is a critical component in the success of many GM Performance Division projects.

Milford Proving Grounds

The General Motors Milford Proving Ground (MPG) is the headquarters for GM’s vehicle durability and test operations. Since the facility’s inception in 1924, the Proving Ground’s mission has remained unchanged which is to develop General Motors cars and trucks to meet the demands of both our customers and the environment in a competitive marketplace.

The Proving Ground was inaugurated in 1924 through the foresight of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr., President of General Motors. The General Motors' Technical Committee voted to spend $300,000 to turn 1,125 acres of farmland outside of Milford into vehicle testing roadways and facilities. Prior to this time, all road tests were done on public highways.

Today, the Proving Ground site has grown to nearly 4,000 acres, across both Livingston and Oakland counties, and employees nearly 5,000 people.

Over the past eighty plus years, vehicles have become increasingly more complex which has also changed the type and amount of testing performed at the Proving Ground. GM performs vehicle tests for safety, compatibility with the environment, ease and comfort of operation, reliability, durability and efficiency. As the challenges of the 21st century emerge, testing will become more exacting and rigorous. These tests hold specific significance for the performance variant vehicles that are developed by GM Performance Division. Having the ability to actualize the various high-performance vehicles in a variety of controlled environments, has placed GM at the forefront of performance technology.

The Proving Grounds' primary focus has gradually shifted from road testing to lab testing and supports the move to computer math simulation to reduce hardware testing and builds. However, the final vehicle validation is actually to measure the performance of vehicles, and the only way to accomplish this is through durability road testing and test analyst interface. The Proving Ground logs more than 12 million test miles per year.

In addition to Milford Proving Ground, General Motors maintains facilities for hot weather testing in Mesa, Ariz. for research, development and testing; cold weather facilities in Kapuskasing, Canada and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.; a high altitude emission testing facility in Denver and a brake test facility in Pikes Peak, Colo.

FACTS ABOUT THE MILFORD PROVING GROUND

LAND AREA RESIDENT DIVISIONS / STAFFS NUMBER OF BUILDINGS NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES CAFETERIA THREE LAKES ON PROPERTY TEST ROADS MILES DRIVEN ANNUALLY     1 billion miles driven - September 1994 GASOLINE USED ANNUALLY GALLONS OF ROAD STRIPING PAINT USED VEHICLE DYNAMICS TEST AREA     Nicknamed "Black Lake" OVAL TEST TRACK CIRCULAR TEST TRACK EAST / WEST STRAIGHTAWAY FULL SCALE BARRIER TESTS HYGE SLED TESTS COMPONENT TEST LAB

Approximately 4,000 acres 25 115 4,800 Serves over 1,000 meals per day Sloan, Mott and Pickett Equivalent to over 132 miles of two-lane highway 15,000,000 2,464,606 16,550 gal. of white and yellow paint 35,000 lbs. of reflecting beads 67 Acres approximately the equivalent of 59 football fields 3.8 miles 4.5 miles 3.104 miles (including loops) 1.204 miles each way (level) 600 per year 1,500 per year 4,400 tests run annually on various parts of GM vehicles

Nurburgring

As GM pushes to the forefront of world-class performance technology, a new philosophy has been derived within the corporation. If GM is going to compete in the global performance marketplace, the products must surpass not only image challenges, but they must deliver, on a world-class scale. How can GM alter these preconceived notions? How about designing, engineering and validating the performance products for the global arena at the most challenging levels. Hence GM begins testing the performance variants on the most challenging race circuit in the world, Germany's famed Nürburgring.

The ultimate proving ground for vehicle dynamics since it was completed in 1927, the 12.8-mile Nürburgring has challenged drivers of literally all skill levels. Altitude changes range nearly 1000 feet. The 'Ring' has 177 corners, and in between them is every conceivable combination of radius, camber and gradient. No other track in the world places such extreme demands on a vehicle's suspension, brakes and powertrain. Today, anybody with a car, a license and about $10 can run hot laps where the likes of Fangio once ran. That is, unless a scheduled manufacturer test session has closed the 'Ring, where some of the world's finest vehicles are regularly tested in development.

GM draws on Opel AG's years of testing experience at the Nürburgring when putting together its development teams for the performance variant badges such as the Cadillac "V" Series, Chevrolet SS, Pontiac GXP and Saturn Redline.

Ken Morris, Executive Director for GM Performance Division (GMPD), having been an integral part of the development and testing of the Cadillac CTS-V understands, first-hand, the importance of testing at the 'Ring'. "When we saw the demands that the Nürburgring places on the cars, and the level of commitment from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche to test their cars limits, that's when we knew without question that GMPD would have to do the same thing."

Ride around the 'Ring'

"In just one lap of the 'Ring', you experience the entire gamut of cornering speeds, lateral forces, braking conditions and vertical inputs," said Morris. "You're forced to brake in situations where you might not otherwise, to change throttle positions or steering inputs at either high or low speeds and, in other cases, to take corners at very aggressive speeds. The 'Ring provides a relatively controlled environment with a repeatable series of events that help make sure a car is capable in every situation."

The GMPD development teams have gained a wealth of knowledge from the Nürburgring. Nearly every system on the car was painstakingly tested, evaluated, adjusted, tweaked, retested, reevaluated, readjusted and re-tweaked time and again-until everything meets the team's needs, wants and expectations.

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