Hidden among the forests and lakes of northern Sweden is the town of Arjeplog. In winter, its monochrome landscape invites stark contrasts. Short, bedazzling days reveal nature at its most pristine, while long, interminable nights turn the mind in on itself, triggering grisly Gothic thoughts of Jack Torrance stalking the Overlook Hotel. And every year at this time, engineers from the world’s major car manufacturers descend on this surreal environment, here to test their latest models under a veil of secrecy.

Words by Richard Porter, published in The Road Rat.