Glickenhaus Shakes Its Cars To Simulate 100,000 Miles Of Driving

Shake and race. Photo: Martyn Lucy (Getty Images)

Before an automaker can launch a new model, they have to put their concept through all manner of tests, things like crash tests to prove their safety and even cold weather tests to prove their durability. But did you know some also put them through a shake test?

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I didn’t, until I saw this post from American race team and auto manufacturer Glickenhaus, which is currently developing its SCG004S road car. The car promises a carbon fiber chassis, V8 motor and a three-seat layout with the driver in the center – much like the Mclaren F1.

To test the durability of all that, the company has been putting one of its prototypes through the ringer on a special rig that can emulate the forces of driving mile after mile after mile. In an Instagram post, the company explained that the complex ballet of pushing, pulling, twisting and turning was to test the new car’s structural integrity.

Over the course of a week’s testing, the company could put the SCG004S through the kinds of forces that it would endure over more than 100,000 miles of road driving. In a post on Instagram, the company said:

“Car is doing great after 25,000 miles. Took it apart and inspected paint marks on bolts, etc. back on running another 25,000 section. We are including hard track miles as well.”

The testing regimen is all in the buildup to the launch of the finished SCG004S. The initial concept for the 004S was unveiled way back in 2017, but it now looks almost ready to hit the highway.

Since the car was initially unveiled, it’s actually been lengthened by four inches to increase space inside the cab and push the two passenger seats further back. The other change is that we’ll now get an even more hardcore version of the car, which Glickenhaus calls the 004CS.