Great Wall Motor (GWM) is accelerating plans to establish a major local engineering hub in Australia, despite losing access to the historic Lang Lang Proving Ground. The sale of the facility to a defense contractor marks the end of an era for automotive testing in Victoria, but GWM leadership insists this disruption will not derail its strategy to tailor vehicles specifically for Australian and New Zealand conditions.
The End of an Automotive Era
The Lang Lang Proving Ground, located southeast of Melbourne, is a piece of Australian motoring history. Built by General Motors and opened in 1957, the 877-hectare facility served as the heart of Holden’s vehicle development for decades. After GM exited the Australian market in 2020, the site was sold to Vietnamese automaker VinFast. However, when VinFast abandoned its Australian entry plans, the facility was listed for sale again in 2021.
Since then, the proving ground has served various automakers needing local ride and handling data. GWM had secured permanent residency at the site in July 2025, launching a local chassis development program led by former Holden engineer Rob Trubiani. His team was tasked with tuning suspension and steering for GWM models to better suit local roads and customer expectations.
That arrangement is now ending. Documents indicate the facility has been sold to a holding company representing DefendTex, an Australian defense contractor. The new owners plan to convert the site into a “state-of-the-art Solid Rocket Motor Manufacturing Facility,” signaling a definitive shift from automotive testing to defense manufacturing. Consequently, automotive brands like GWM will lose access to the test tracks by the end of the month.
Strategic Pivot: From Test Track to Technical Centre
While GWM acknowledges the loss is “disappointing,” it views the situation as a manageable logistical hurdle rather than a strategic failure. John Kett, GWM Australia and New Zealand’s Chief Operating Officer, confirmed that the company already has a “Plan B” in motion.
GWM is investing in a new technical centre near its existing headquarters in Mulgrave, Melbourne. This facility will serve multiple critical functions:
* Engineering and Tuning: Housing the local development team to continue vehicle calibration.
* Training and Service: Centralizing technical training and service operations.
* Accessory Development: Bringing accessory design and testing in-house, an area Kett admitted previously “leaves a lot to be desired.”
“It’s disappointing in terms of the way it’s ultimately going to be used… but it’s not changing our pathway at all,” said Kett.
The primary challenge remains the lack of dedicated public test tracks in Australia. Kett noted that while the engineering team has a home, finding a suitable replacement for the physical test environment is complex. However, the company states that funding is secured, and the goal is to have the new centre operational by the second half of 2026.
Why This Matters for Local Tuning
The closure of Lang Lang highlights a broader trend: the consolidation and repurposing of specialized automotive infrastructure in Australia. With fewer dedicated proving grounds available, manufacturers must be more agile.
Steve Maciver, GWM’s Head of Marketing and Communications, emphasized that the core work required for current models is already complete. The partnership with Lang Lang and Rob Trubiani allowed GWM to “get ahead of the curve,” ensuring existing vehicles meet local standards for ride and handling.
Future efforts will shift focus from retrofitting current models to proactively tuning upcoming launches. Maciver suggested that without a permanent proving ground, the team may adopt a more flexible approach, utilizing various facilities on an “on the fly” basis for specific testing needs.
Conclusion
The sale of the Lang Lang Proving Ground to DefendTex signals the end of a significant chapter in Australian automotive history. However, for GWM, it serves as a catalyst for deeper local integration. By building its own technical centre, the Chinese automaker is doubling down on its commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets, ensuring that future vehicles are engineered locally, even if the historic test tracks are no longer available.
