New Mercedes climatic wind tunnel creates own weather

Not that Mercedes-Benz wants to eliminate any need for real-world testing, but it would like a head start. The Stuttgart-based automaker has inaugurated a new climatic wind tunnel at its Mercedes-Benz Technology Centre in southern Germany. The new facility will be used to prepare prototypes before they begin their real-world road testing by given them a rigorous run through different climate conditions. And what are those conditions? Well, this new climatic wind tunnel can bring temperatures down to as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius (- 40 Fahrenheit) and up as high as 40 degrees (104 degrees Fahrenheit), which can mimic the most extreme climates the cars are ever likely to face. The wind tunnel can also produce snowstorms and hurricane-force winds up to 200 km/h (124 mph). We hope those technicians know where to stand when they turn on this machine.