GM to Centralize Race-Engineering Activities in New Pontiac Facility

April 30, 2014

Patrick Ponticel

Construction recently began on GM's Performance and Racing Center.

In a move to centralize resources for better collaboration between racing and production engineers, General Motors is building the GM Performance and Racing Center (GMPRC) at its Powertrain World Headquarters in Pontiac, MI. Engineers and technicians from GM’s current race engineering center in Wixom, MI, will move to the new facility in mid-2015.

The GMPRC is part of a $200 million investment GM announced last January to build a new 138,000 ft² (13,000 m²) test wing, which will also include an electric-motor lab and a gear center. At that time, the company announced work at four remote locations would be consolidated on the Pontiac campus, helping to reduce development timing for GM’s next-generation propulsion technologies. When the moves are complete, about 400 jobs will be added to the Pontiac campus.

Engineers at the GMPRC will work on powertrain-related projects for GM’s involvement in the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Verizon IndyCar Series, TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, Pirelli World Challenge, NHRA (COPO Camaro Program) and Global Rally Cross.

“The GM Performance and Racing Center will serve as a resource to help our race teams and drivers continue to win races and championships,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It will also help advance technical sharing between racing and production engine programs.”

The new electric motor lab at Pontiac will produce prototype e-machines and validate manufacturing processes for hybrid and electric vehicles. The gear center will support design, manufacturing-engineering, and testing of gears to be used primarily in the next generation of GM transmissions.