Nissan builds tiny car wash to test paint [Video]

Special \'Arizona test dirt\' is applied to replicate real-world grit that can quickly destroy clearcoat finish.

Nissan has revealed "the smallest car wash you've never seen," highlighting one of many pre-production durability tests at its Farmington Hills, Michigan, technical center.

The scaled-down car wash is only the size of a movie-theater popcorn machine, integrating the same type of spinning brush that can quickly scratch a full-size car's clearcoat after the bristles become covered in abrasive dirt.

Engineers spin the brush at 180 rpm and apply abrasive media to replicate repeated washes in a worst-case real-world scenario.

"Special dirt, called 'Arizona test dirt' by testers, is applied to paint samples during the test cycle to replicate real-world grit and ensure that Nissan paint is tough and long-lasting," the company says.

A demonstration video shows the process using a die-cast 370Z, but the company actually uses rectangular sheets that have been finished with production-spec paint and clearcoat finishes.