Lingotto Test Track (Fiat rooftop test track)

N

Normalaatsra

951
Indonesia
Jakarta
Normalaatsra
Lingotto is district in Torino, Italia, that is home to the Lingotto building in the town of Via Nizza. The building was formerly a factory for Fiat automobiles. What makes the building unique is that the roof top of the building hosts a test track, a simple oval figure with banked corners, wide enough to line up 3 cars wide. The building becomes more special as the entire building layout was designed to build a car that becomes built as the car rises to the top of the track, where a driver will test it on the circuit to prove it's road worthiness. When approved, a driver will deliver the car through a spiral helix to the bottom of the factory where the car will then be sent to Fiat dealerships.

Fiat_Lingotto_veduta-1928.jpg


The factory site closed due to a decline in the car industry of Italy. Fortunately the building has been revitalized into a modern city complex to the public, which includes a shopping mall, multipurpose halls, a hotel, and an university. The test track still exists and is open to the public to view the fantastic sights of the Italian alps and the city of Turin, with the place even open to car meets.

557px-Fiat_Lingotto_Rooftop_Racetrack_3.jpg


Pictured: The flowing layout the cars climb as it is being produced.

Fiat_Lingotto_Rooftop_Racetrack_1.jpg


Fiat_Lingotto_Rooftop_Racetrack_2.jpg
 
JCH8r

JCH8r

366
United States
Midwest
JCH8r
Here is an architectural essay on the Lingotto building & test track. The building inspired modern architects like LeCorbusier, but it is the only building known to have been designed by the architect.

The writer of the article is dismissive of the track, but I think a 500 yard straight that demands good brakes is interesting in itself. Rationally, the idea of testing on a circuit on a rooftop should be no more daunting than at ground level. But it is.

And what a great Photo Mode location.
 
N

Normalaatsra

951
Indonesia
Jakarta
Normalaatsra
GiovyLM
If i'm not mistaken , Fiat doesn't use this test track anymore (since '70s) ....
Click to expand...

You don't say?

Like I said in the description, Fiat closed the factory in an economical decline. The building still hosts the old test track and the pass of the factory car as it climbs to the top of the factory. The test track may be inactive to testing but car meets still occur here and the building has already found a new use. With PD magic they can model it.
 
M

meravigliato

20
Italy
Italy
In the nineties, during the Turin Auto Shows, Fiat used a few Fiat Coupé Turbo for promotional laps on the track. Of course the drivers were official Fiat. The queue to take a ride as passenger was very long. They started from the square on the ground floor and climbed the ramp giving a lot of gas.
 
N

Normalaatsra

951
Indonesia
Jakarta
Normalaatsra
meravigliato
In the nineties, during the Turin Auto Shows, Fiat used a few Fiat Coupé Turbo for promotional laps on the track. Of course the drivers were official Fiat. The queue to take a ride as passenger was very long. They started from the square on the ground floor and climbed the ramp giving a lot of gas.
Click to expand...

That's amazing! The manufacuturing layout can still be used in the building! If PD would even try that, that would make GT many times better. Haha! Thanks for sharing. :cheers:
 
N

Normalaatsra

951
Indonesia
Jakarta
Normalaatsra
Here's a video of a muscle car meet, they climb the building in the reverse direction instead the intended way FIAT designed as this route allows a complete car to reach to the top and bottom. Gives you an idea of the lighting set up for Photo Travel and also for any online session with car meets.