Development mule

Development mule
Two Nissan GT-R "Black Mask" test mules on a truck in Japan

A development mule or a test mule in the automotive industry is a vehicle equipped with experimental or prototype components for testing. Automakers evaluate aspects of vehicles before a full pre-production car is built to find problems. Mule cars are drivable, often years ahead of actual production.[1] They may come after concept cars that sometimes lack critical mechanical components. They may also have advanced chassis and powertrain designs from a future vehicle that need to be tested, but "clothed with the body and interior of some other car about the same size.[2]

Mules are often heavily altered and the exteriors may be disguised as current production vehicles or as completely different models.[3] Some noticeable alterations include simple cylindric shapes for the lamps in the taillights, different rims on the front and back without centrecaps, and a severe amount of added plastic and tape to hide the actual shape and design of the vehicle.[4]

Development mules are most often used very heavily during testing[5] and are scrapped. In unusual cases, test mules were acquired by members of the automaker's engineering team.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ "Spycam: 2010 Ford Mustang". Motor Trend. December 2007. http://www.motortrend.com/future/spied_vehicles/112_0712_2010_ford_mustang_spied/index.html. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  2. ^ Healey, James R. (2009-08-14). "Drivers could get a charge out of Chevrolet Volt". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2009-04-30-chevrolet-volt-early-look_N.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  3. ^ McCraw, Jim (September 1992). "Sneak Previews of U.S. Cars to Come". Popular Science 241 (3): 68–72. http://books.google.com/books?id=lwEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA69&dq=%22Development+mule%22+auto. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  4. ^ Dunne, Jim (December 1991). "Detroit Spy Report". Popular Mechanics 168 (12): 108. http://books.google.com/books?id=puMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108&dq=%22Development+mule%22+auto. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  5. ^ For example, "...pushed the development mule to 150.583 mph (242.340 km/h)..." Schorr, Martyn L. (March 1993). "Show of Force". Popular Mechanics 180 (3): 59. http://books.google.com/books?id=c88DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA56&dq=%22Development+mule%22. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  6. ^ Truesdell, Richard. "John Goergen's 1966 343 prototype". Musclecar Enthusiast: 59. http://photos.imageevent.com/mmm_mag/pdffiles/USA%201967%20AMC%20Rogue%20343%20Musclecar%20Enthusiast.pdf. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 
  7. ^ Ohio AMX (2007-06-07). "1966 Drivable AMX Prototype". http://route66rambler.com/forum/topicview/misc/136/1966_drivable_amx.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-13. 

See also


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