FCA Adds Four-Wheel-Drive Dyno For Extreme Weather Testing

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] has just invested $2.5 million into its Chrysler Technology Center. The reason for the quick cash spend? The installation of an upgraded four-wheel-drive dyno that can handle plenty of power while the CTC kicks out brutal temperatures. Inside the center, test engineers can create winds up to 100 miles per hour while dropping the temperature down to minus 40 degrees. That rather chilling combination allows engineers to see what happens to their vehicles when intakes are getting clogged, parts are freezing, and cold weather is wreaking all manner of havoc.

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The dyno can handle front axle power of up to 350 horsepower, while the rear can take on 650 horsepower. Additionally, the ducting inside the facility has been improved so that high-output diesel vehicles can be tested. This includes the 2016 Ram fitted with the 6.7-liter Cummins that generates 900 pound-feet of torque.