Manufacturer test mules

[mercrocker]

They probably still had their floor-pan overlap the wrong way round, too!

[MrBiscuits]

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....

Would at least have been a bit easier to fix that f*cking stupid clamp on the downpipe if they'd left it like that

[Guest Hooli]

Especially as it'd never have got far enough for the clamp come loose because the carb iced up in 5mins.

[sierraman]

Distributor wouldn't have got piss wet through though.

[Aston Martin]

From the blue place

 

http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/97543/prototype-test-mule-thread

 

...

 

And the new NSX mule.

[overrun]

Bentley Continental test mule apparently:

[Daviedv]

 

''Prangler'' a plymouth prowler development mule with a wrangler body, used for mechanically testing the prowler before production

[NorfolkNWeigh]

 

''Prangler'' a plymouth prowler development mule with a wrangler body, used for mechanically testing the prowler before production

Looks like a modern Allard.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Pulled up next to very odd looking XJ-S , late one night at a Shell garage in Milton Keynes , It was white with pop riveted wide arch extensions and the biggest wheels I'd ever seen. The bonnet had a huge lump in the middle and I could see it was a manual and had a full cage.

 

The guy filling it up was quite chatty, but wouldn't go into too much detail, he did say when I asked if it was a V12. " No it's a six, but it's faster than any V12 Jag, or V8 Aston come to that" When he roared off, the supercharger whine was pretty obvious. Thing is , this was about 4 years before the DB7 was launched.

[richardthestag]

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.

 

there are a few, 

 

Range Rovers, this is the oldest survivor. 6th engineering prototype. tbh 3rd had it pretty much nailed

 

often these prototypes were sacrificed for roof and other impact type testing

 

http://www.dunsfoldcollection.co.uk/collection/range-rover/1969-range-rover-velar-engineering-prototype-the-oldest-range-rover#v

 

 

the only Mule part of the above was its name VELAR no mention of the word Land Rover or Range Rover anywhere until June 1970

 

All of the press cars were pre production but built on the production line.

 

Stags there are a couple of very very early motors around still

 

3rd engineering car, 2nd by the factory because the first was built by Micholetti in his Italian studio

 

Started out like this

 

now looks more of less like this as far as I know

 

Other stuff I have found over the years

 

Jaguar 4.2 XJC-Reg. OHP 21M. This car with chassis no. 2J1002BW is the second prototype Coupe built by Jaguar. First registered in 1973, it was used in the static display at the first launch of the type in Ellon, Scotland. 

 

development TR8 , registered in April 1977 , with chassis number X898

[omegod]

I used to love the spy photos of mules in autocar etc, think they were mostly by a guy Hans Lehman ?, weird that's stuck in my head for 35 yrs 

[JeeExEll]

^ That's interesting.

Hans G. Lehmann, photographer.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_G._Lehmann

[unclecalzone]

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

That 4x4 version belongs to the owner of summit garage in Dudley that’s still going.

There are a couple of 1.9 jtd 75s about and various g series diesel cars too though it’s all gone very quiet now in regards to these cars. Guess most have had problems due to all the prototype parts fitted

[r.welfare]

I'm being lazy as I'm on my phone, but I found out yesterday via Wikipedia that Porsche used Audi 100 Coupes as 928 mules. The first had widened arches but the second was sectioned lengthways and 4.5" added to the middle.

[dollywobbler]

I think the XJ220 Transit is one of my favourites. I was having a good look around when putting together the current issue of Classic Jaguar that went on sale today (hint, hint!). Apparently, it was good for 172mph! That was apparently done on the standard Transit front suspension. It apparently didn't handle it very well...

 

Another favourite test Jag is the MkX that had the quad-cam V12 installed before they decided on single-cam V12s. Apparently it was rather brisk!

[quicksilver]

Quite a few TR7/8 development cars have survived as they were kicking around at Solihull and Canley when the plug was pulled and sent to public auction. Many of the pre-production Sprint batch were also sold off engineless, often with a brand new crated V8 for the lucky buyer to fit. This one is a pre-prod RHD car later used as a Sprint development hack (the first production UK TR7s were P-reg).

1975 Triumph TR7 Sprint by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

There's also this automatic diesel Montego once owned by Captain Slow, a remarkable survivor and quite a Heath Robinson lash-up by all accounts.

1991 Rover Montego 2.0D SLX automatic estate by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

I'm sure I read on AROnline that one of the six-cylinder P7 prototypes still exists as Rover actually sold it into the public domain and it ended up with a journo.

[HMC]

I used to love the spy photos of mules in autocar etc, think they were mostly by a guy Hans Lehman ?, weird that's stuck in my head for 35 yrs

 

Yes- same here. IIRC he used to pretty much camp near known winter proving routes and hide up trees etc

[Pillock]

These days you just need to drive up the M40 to see a JLR product covered in black and white sticky-backed plastic every few miles. They seem to give them employees to go home in, see no end at peak commuting times.

 

Running the reg through various websites normally gives no clue - it'll often say LAND ROVER UNKNOWN 0000cc etc. Bare minimum.

[quicksilver]

These days you just need to drive up the M40 to see a JLR product covered in black and white sticky-backed plastic every few miles. They seem to give them employees to go home in, see no end at peak commuting times.

 

Running the reg through various websites normally gives no clue - it'll often say LAND ROVER UNKNOWN 0000cc etc. Bare minimum.

Or go to an event at Gaydon. Every time I've been there recently I've seen at least one camouflaged prototype on its way in or out of the proving ground next door.

 

Which reminds me, this thing got the chop in an emergency services demo there a couple of years ago and I now believe it to have been an F-pace mule. They had difficulty cutting it as it was apparently a mix of Jag and LR bits welded together in odd places.

Jag gets the chop by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

[Pillock]

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.

 

 

Beige MGF6R4 anyone?

[dollywobbler]

Yup. Loads of undisguised i-Paces floating around in Warwickshire now, with small Prototype stickers  on, and what I assume is a facelifted Ewok.

[Inspector Morose]

Couple from the Saab museum:

 

The Toad. This was a mule for the Saab 99. For secret road testing the body from a 96 was widened and fitted with the mechanicals from the 99 so that they could be road tested four were built, one survives.

 

Edited to add. Once the secret was out (after running a Toad in convoy with a normal 96 allowing the increased width to be clearly visible) the 99 was road tested without any disguise apart from badging it as a Daihatsu.

 

Saab 9000 mule:

[Pillock]

Can't work out if photoshopped, crashed, or it's just meant to be like that.

 

[Supernaut]

Looking at that for too long makes my head hurt. That rear wheel doesn't look like it's attached at the correct angle, or it could be a trick of the eye. It's seriously weird.

 

 

 

Have a lovely Porsche 918 test mule instead.

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Much as I mock the official suppliers of ‘That’ll Do’, I still think it’s a crying shame that MG Rover UK died a death. Back in 2003, the MG TF 200HPD hybrid was a thing. It deserved to come to fruition, but was aborted as soon as the company went into liquidation. It’s suggested that features of the drivetrain were then taken over by Honda for the NSX.

It should have lived. I don’t know if it was road tested as such, but thought it deserved a place on this thread.

 

 

 

 

https://www.aronline.co.uk/concepts/concepts-and-prototypes/concepts-mg-tf200-hpd/

[sierraman]

That would have been fantastic if it had made production.

[unclecalzone]

Weren’t mgr looking at a cam-less engine too? Would have been about 2003/4- Probably would have been something grafted on to a k series

[Dick Cheeseburger]

That would have been fantastic if it had made production.

 

 

The ideas were still there. It’s such a bloody shame we screwed up, sold out and held up our hands in surrender.

It really could have worked.

 

Weren’t mgr looking at a cam-less engine too? Would have been about 2003/4- Probably would have been something grafted on to a k series

Hadn’t heard that one before. Any more info?

[warren t claim]

These days you just need to drive up the M40 to see a JLR product covered in black and white sticky-backed plastic every few miles. They seem to give them employees to go home in, see no end at peak commuting times.

 

Running the reg through various websites normally gives no clue - it'll often say LAND ROVER UNKNOWN 0000cc etc. Bare minimum.

I remember have a race with a pre production X Type Jaguar on my GSXR600SRAD. I can assure you the JLR test driver knew how to fucking drive! I'd easily outrun traffic plod driving T5 Volvos on that bike but he was stuck to my back wheel for over five miles.

[sheffcortinacentre]

There was a mk1 Capri estate that ended up in Australia, it was sold to a member of the public, then a few years ago after being restored ford tried to take it back saying it should never have been sold & so was thiers.

 

A judge told them as the owner had all the legal paperwork that it was tough shit if they didn't want it in the public domain they should haven't allowed it to be sold back in the mid 70s.