Manufacturer test mules

[CortinaDave]

 

Always been fascinated by the manufacturer test mules of forthcoming models... This was one of the Sierra mules built into some poor cortina estate. It had the sierra rear suspension fitted which is why it looks so low at the back.

 

the cortina would have been brand new at the time but the mods help it look like a knackered 15 year old heap.

 

Anyone know of any more... and do any still exist?

[Supernaut]

The test mule for the Ferrari Enzo drivetrain.

 

[Aston Martin]

^Beat me to it.

 

....

 

So have the xj220

[johngarty]

Have a Fiesta

[somewhatfoolish]

Mules tend to get beancanned due to ZOMG product liability. Even preproduction stuff gets scrapped a lot due to it not meeting C&U regs or type approval etc.

[Cleon-Fonte]

BL had a spate of spy shots of their new cars appearing in magazines well before launch date, so the SD1 mules were very well disguised.

 

[colnerov]

 Hi, Freelander test mule -

 

 

Dunsfold Land Rover Trust has one.

 

Normally test mules aren't sold on for tax reasons among others and are crushed, Some are kept as museum exhibits.

 

 Colin

[Snipes]

Any MG-Rover mules still kicking around?

[sierraman]

There was the MGF mule that was a Metro.

 

Apart from the SD1 and princess I can't think of any cars that have surviving pre production models. There was the SD1 in red that sat on a caravan site for years before someone at PC bought it and AFAIK it got restored.

[JeeExEll]

 

1966 Cresta mule fitted with Oldsmobile Toronado 7-litre V8 and chain-driven front-wheel-drive trans.

Sadly did not reach production. One built and written off.

Story from Vauxpedia site ↓

 

http://files.uk2sitebuilder.com/uk2group53061/image/42v.vauxhallpc98000crestaviscountresume14.jpg

[Zelandeth]

Apparently one of my uncles worked at the scrap yard that BMC sent a lot of their prototypes etc to for destruction in what must have been the very late 70s.  Makes enough sense given they lived just down the road from the place and I know he was indeed in the scrap metal trade at the time.  Apparently it used to break his heart to smash up some of the stuff that came in.  If I remember rightly the rule was that nothing larger than a shoebox was allowed to remain intact.  So the approach was usually to rip it to shreds with the claw *before* dropping it in the baler.

[Aston Martin]

Any MG-Rover mules still kicking around?

Every MG3.

[JeeExEll]

BL had a spate of spy shots of their new cars appearing in magazines well before launch date, so the SD1 mules were very well disguised.

 

sd1p_1.jpg

Fantastic. I used to love seeing these pics when they appeared in the weekies Motor and Autocar, and in the monthly Car.

[Sigmund Fraud]

There was the MGF mule that was a Metro.

 

Not just any Metro... a beige Metro van !!!

 

[Roverageous]

There are a few Rover 75 test mules still around I think... Certainly remember one with the 1.9 fiat diesel that escaped the crusher.

 

There was also a ZT tourer with Freelander 4x4 running gear that I *think* survived...

 

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[MorrisItalSLX]

They sure ain't pretty things, are they?

[sierraman]

 

1966 Cresta mule fitted with Oldsmobile Toronado 7-litre V8 and chain-driven front-wheel-drive trans.

Sadly did not reach production. One built and written off.

 

http://files.uk2sitebuilder.com/uk2group53061/image/42v.vauxhallpc98000crestaviscountresume14.jpg

Can imagine the torque steer in the wet in that! Jesus!!!

[3VOM]

Can imagine the torque steer in the wet in that! Jesus!!!

You don't need to think too hard to connect "1966 Cresta" "with Oldsmobile Toronado 7-litre V8" and "written off".

[JeeExEll]

^ Quote,

"The engine produced 375bhp and 475ft-lb of torque, it was possible to shred the tyres in one go. In theory it was capable of 140mph but suffered from very severe scuttle shake at anything approaching 100mph",

[sierraman]

Bollocks of steel taking that over 100mph. I bet it felt like it would take off!

[timolloyd]

That Ferrari mule ended up looking like one of those shit MR2-based replicas!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

They sure ain't pretty things, are they?

 

That's actually how it might have ended up if Anadol had designed it.....

[Lord Sterling]

Bentley Continental test mule apparently:

 

[sierraman]

Should have got to that stage and thought 'right heres the finished article'

[holbeck]

The MGF project had a whole fleet of interesting vehicles created for it.

 

Before the Metro's, there were a number of Mk1 Toyota MR2's that were doctored to run K series engines and PG1 transmissions. 

 

The Metro's came after, and there were a few different versions dependent on the purpose. Some had the fibreglass lift-up rear body and others were pick-up style with a canvas tilt.

[PhilA]

Bentley Continental test mule apparently:

Looks like a Bristol. A finished one.

 

 

Phil

[MrBiscuits]

Back in the early noughties Land Rover were using Ford explorers to test the Disco 3 powertrain. They basically lifted the body off and bodged it onto the Disco chassis. The company I worked for at the time made the box of tricks that converted all the new fangled CAN messages into signals that the explorer body electronics could understand. They were quite effective I think, hard to tell unless you saw the masses of wiring on the floor inside

[mercrocker]

The A35-fronted Issigonis Mini mule....

 

 

 

 

Can't help thinking they should have kept that front to improve the current model....

[Timewaster]

FB_IMG_1526039890628.jpg

 

Always been fascinated by the manufacturer test mules of forthcoming models... This was one of the Sierra mules built into some poor cortina estate. It had the sierra rear suspension fitted which is why it looks so low at the back.

 

the cortina would have been brand new at the time but the mods help it look like a knackered 15 year old heap.

 

Anyone know of any more... and do any still exist?

I love the way they carefully grafted the Sierra bumper and air intake presumably to test the cooling system.

[Guest Hooli]

The A35-fronted Issigonis Mini mule....

 

 

orange-box-1.jpg

 

 

Can't help thinking they should have kept that front to improve the current model....

 

Blimey those are early, it's before they reversed the head to fix carb icing.