Testing Times

The famous Bedfordshire test site built by General Motors celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. We take a look back at the history and evolution of the facility

- Peter Davies

Research, development and testing are all essential stages in getting successful products on the market. They are particularly important in the automotive industry where reliability is vital. While some manufacturers rely on independent establishments like MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) at Nuneaton, others have the resources to afford their own. In the case of Vauxhall Motors the latter was true and, as part of the mighty General Motors empire they really went to town in the late ‘60s and created what was then the largest and best equipped proving ground in Europe.

Before the Vauxhall Motors Proving Ground (VMPG) at Millbrook was established, the Luton based manufacturer already had extensive testing facilities at Chaul End near Luton. While that was in itself an excellent test ground with a wide range of facilities, there was no comparison between that and the new Millbrook development.

GM spared no expense on the construction, it cost a cool £3.5 million (equivalent to over £40 million in today’s money). That was a huge investment at that time and almost as much as some major motorway sections cost. The general planning and design of Millbrook was based on GM’s existing Milford test track near Michigan. There was even a similarity in the name.