One of the Hottest Places for Auto Testing

September 7th, 2007

The September 4, 2007 issue of USA Today carries a feature article on how Kia test cars in Death Valley, CA, one of the hottest places on earth. One of the more interesting aspects of the article is the bit about how photographers stalk the test engineers, trying to get shots of the prototypes.

By now, a pack of spy photographers was in the hunt. For the Kia team, protecting the test cars is a little like being a lame jack rabbit stalked by a hungry coyote, because they often return to Stovepipe to regroup. Still, they do their best. This day they kept a sheet on hand to at least cover the sport crossover’s secret dashboard.

Vespa said the day before a photographer swerved dangerously in front of the Kia convoy, apparently because they tried to block his view of the crossover. He says the photographer shook his fist at them. “They do their tricks. We do ours,” Vespa said.

Entry Filed under: Test Labs