"The Nurburgring in the Western hills of Germany is the world's longest permanent race track. It's almost a century old and was the site of many Formula One Grand Prix races. The track's main part is called the Nordschleife, or the Northern Loop. The 20.8-kilometer track is nicknamed the "Green Hell" - because of the surrounding forests of the Eifel region, and its punishing layout."
"To understand the importance of engineering and performance in German car making, the Nordschleife is a good place to start, says Misha Charoudin, car racer and influencer. "If a car can do a good lap time here, it means all the components work: suspension, tires, engine, chassis, and of course also the driver itself," he says while barreling through a corner at 190 km/h. "It's better than a roller coaster.""
"Germany's auto industry has used this legacy, and the no-speed-limit Autobahn, Germany's public highway system, to their advantage in advertising and brand-building. Brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen stood for precision engineering, performance, and reliability. They weren't just cars they were cultural icons, and the backbone of Germany's economy. But today, that magic is fading. Lost Wunderland Germany's auto industry employs over a million people and has long been a barometer of economic health."
The Nurburgring's Nordschleife is a 20.8-kilometer circuit nicknamed the "Green Hell" for its Eifel forests and punishing layout. The track was built in 1927 and became a venue where German automakers place cars under extreme stress to test suspension, tires, engine, chassis, and driver performance. Major manufacturers maintain test centers at the facility and leverage the circuit and the no-speed-limit Autobahn for brand-building. Brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen historically symbolized precision engineering and reliability. The automotive sector employs over a million people and remains economically significant, though its former magic is fading.
Read at www.dw.com
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