The historic Lang Lang Proving Ground in Victoria has been sold to an unnamed Australian defence contractor, marking a significant shift for one of Australia’s last active automotive testing facilities. The sale creates immediate logistical challenges for Great Wall Motor (GWM), which had relied on the site for critical local chassis tuning, and signals the end of an era for automotive product development at the location.
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A Historic Site Changes Hands
The 877-hectare (2,167-acre) facility, originally purpose-built by General Motors and opened in 1957, has seen its fair share of industry turnover. It was sold to Vietnamese automaker VinFast in 2020 following GM’s decision to discontinue the Holden brand. However, after VinFast abandoned its plans to enter the Australian new-vehicle market, the site has been on the market since 2021.
The new ownership by a defence contractor represents a stark pivot from commercial automotive testing to national security interests. This transition effectively ends the site’s role as a hub for product development for several automotive brands and engineering firms, forcing many to scramble for alternative locations.
GWM Faces a “Speed Bump” in Development
The most immediate impact of the sale is felt by GWM, which established a permanent residency at Lang Lang in 2025. The Chinese automaker hired former Holden chassis engineer Rob Trubiani to develop local suspension and steering tunes for its Australian model lineup, a program known as “AT-1” (Australian Tune).
While GWM had considered purchasing the venue outright, those negotiations did not materialize. Consequently, the company has been advised that it can no longer use the facility after mid-May.
“As a result of the sale of the Lang Lang Proving Ground, GWM were advised that they would no longer be able to use the facility after the middle of May,” said GWM Australia Chief Operating Officer John Kett. “While this is disappointing, we have accepted the decision and are now in the process of making alternative plans.”
Kett described the situation as a minor “speed bump” in their local development plans. Despite losing access to Lang Lang, GWM remains committed to its localisation strategy. The company is already planning a dedicated facility in Melbourne that will serve as its home for dealer training, product testing, and development. This new site will be equipped to allow Trubiani to continue the AT-1 localisation program.
Progress Despite the Disruption
The loss of Lang Lang comes just as GWM’s local tuning efforts begin to bear fruit. The Haval H6, a mid-size SUV competing with the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5, was the first locally tuned model to reach showrooms, with Australian-tuned examples going on sale in late 2025.
Kett emphasized that significant progress was made during GWM’s ten-month residency at Lang Lang. In addition to the H6, work has been completed on several other models scheduled to reach showrooms in the coming weeks and months. While the company now lacks a closed R&D site in South East Asia, it retains testing facilities in Siberia, the Middle East, and China.
Industry-Wide Impact
The closure of Lang Lang to automotive testing affects more than just GWM. The site was one of only three active automotive proving grounds in Australia, alongside Ford Australia’s You Yangs Proving Ground at Lara and the Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC) near Anglesea.
Other notable users of the facility include:
* JAC Motors: Developed local suspension tunes for its T9 and Hunter utes.
* Walkinshaw Automotive Group: Used the site for engineering and remanufacturing right-hand drive versions of Ram, Chevrolet, and Toyota pickups.
* Premcar: Conducted testing for hardcore off-road models like the Nissan Patrol Warrior and Mitsubishi Triton Raider.
Media organizations also relied on the venue. CarExpert, which conducted extensive industry-leading testing there, expressed disappointment that automotive testing will no longer be the core focus of the facility. Co-founder Paul Maric noted that they are currently developing future plans for a new test venue.
Conclusion
The sale of Lang Lang to a defence contractor marks the end of its long history as a pivotal automotive testing hub in Australia. While GWM and other industry players face short-term disruptions, the shift underscores the evolving landscape of Australian manufacturing and testing, where strategic national interests are reshaping the availability of critical infrastructure.
