Rolls-Royce Built a Test Track Just to Hunt Down RattlesAutoblogPablo SalapantanSun, September 20, 2026 at 2:15 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Essence of LuxuryWhen you think about automotive luxury, the first brand that usually comes to mind is Rolls-Royce. With a long history, the brand has stayed relevant and continued to push the boundaries of luxury despite an ever-changing world.Rolls-Royce is showing its commitment to staying at the top of the luxury market by investing in a new test center at the brand's HQ in Goodwood.Rolls-RoyceEric Platford TestwayRolls-Royce just announced the inauguration of the Eric Platford Testway, which the brand claims advances the marque's pursuit of perfection and strengthens its exacting approach to quality and refinement. The test center was named to honor Sir Henry Royce's Chief Tester, Eric Platford.AdvertisementAdvertisementPlatford is considered one of the most influential figures in Rolls-Royce's early history; his expertise helped establish the automaker's reputation for engineering excellence. He wasn't just a brilliant engineer; during the 1913 Spanish Grand Prix, he helped the brand secure a win through his driving skills.The new testing facility lets engineers test cars through a range of inputs to the chassis, suspension, body structure, and interior components in a highly controlled environment. The facility has four parallel lanes, each 295 feet long, covered in different surfaces to test cars under different conditions. Each car is driven through the different surfaces twice at a fixed speed. Rolls-Royce even describes each of the surfaces as: Small and large cobblestone sections to identify potential rattles and assess ride composure'Random Concrete Waves' with expansion joints at 7.9-foot intervals to introduce vertical variationAngled 'Twist Humps' designed to apply torsional load through opposing axle movementAdvertisementAdvertisementPaired 'Railway Tracks' generating sequential front and rear axle inputsAlternating circular iron covers to assess asymmetric response'Sine Waves' corrugations measuring 0.5 inches in height and spaced 11.8 inches apart, producing high-frequency resonanceRolls-RoyceControlled EnvironmentBefore cars enter the Eric Platford Testway, they have to pass through an aero-acoustic chamber to test wind-noise intrusion in the cabin. The testing chamber uses high-pressure, variable-speed air jets mounted on a movable gantry. This also allows testing at speeds exceeding the UK national speed limit of 70 mph.Rolls-RoyceThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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