Market Leader Honda Opens Thailand Proving Ground

Honda opens its new TB1.7 billion ($50.7 million) proving ground in Thailand as it cements its leadership in the local car market.

Its new-car sales rose 14% in the first half to 61,428 units for a 33% market share.

The Prachinburi Proving Ground is a comprehensive test course designed for the Asia & Oceania region. It makes Thailand only the third country where Honda has proving grounds, after Japan and the U.S.

The eight-course facility will be used for automobiles and motorcycles, with various tests including handling, stability and overall performance carried out on regionally developed products.

Honda says the facility is expected to be used to test models for other regions in the future as one of the automaker’s global proving grounds.

Shinji Aoyama, chief officer-regional operations (Asia & Oceania) for Honda, says Thailand is at the center of the automaker’s manufacturing and exports in the region and is an important base for R&D operations.

The five miles (8 km) of test courses simulate a range of road conditions and terrains.

The 1.35-mile (2.2-km) oval course will test a vehicle’s performance while driving at high speeds, plus other tests such as wind-noise levels. A vehicle-dynamics area extending from the oval course will test stability control and braking efficiency during sharp turns.

The 4,530-ft. (1.4-km) winding course is for general performance testing, including the effectiveness of braking systems and vehicle stability. It simulates terrain of varying elevations and includes 17 turns and blind spots.

The wet course, which simulates wet and slippery road conditions, features the Pool Road, a test road alongside the Splash Road and the Wet Brake Road, which can adjust the water level from zero to 39.4 ins. (1 m) to simulate flooding common in Asia. It also will test water resistance and any effects on the engine.

The ride-test course simulates eight different road surfaces seen in Asia and Oceania countries, including concrete and damaged asphalt.

The special-surface course is designed to model rough road surfaces with 3-D technology and will be used to test the durability of the underbody of a vehicle.

The slope course will test engine strength and braking performance and the straight course will test fuel economy and acceleration.

Meantime, Honda is crediting the launch of five new models for its half-year market lead in Thailand’s car segment. The City (17,511 units), Civic (13,692) and Jazz (10,285) topped the sales charts.