GM test cars

[zzvyb6]

To be fair, this is a Euro sled (summer tires, NOT M&S tires, high octane gas, and no air conditioning. BTW: speeds are in kph. She broke 62 mph by a sliver.

 

[Fluid]

Probably not "test" vehicles...just company driven vehicles.

I had a GM company car for over 20 years and I can tell you that if it has a manufacturer plate it is not "just company driven vehicles" They are test vehicles and will probably go to the crusher. If it were just a company driven car the plate would be like all the rest, I had the same tag numbers for ten years about that went from car to car and I had to pay one percent of sticker price per month to be able to drive it. Of you are high enough to get a car you had to pay to drive it.

 

[timswi]

I worked at the GM Milford Proving Grounds for almost 40 years as a Test and Development engineer. I drove company cars as part of my job for evaluation, mileage accumulation and durability needs and also as a benefit. In the OP's picture, the key identifier is seen on the dash. It's a form of a decelerometer used by the test driver to put a controlled amount of braking force into the vehicle. This is done for durability and brake wear tests. It's heat, pad life, traction and ABS control stuff (stability control algorithm etc.). It is not uncommon to have GM owned competitive produced vehicles on test, too. (Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Fords and Chrysler, etc. This is done for performance evaluation baselines and comparisons.

The M plated cars are licensed for on=public highway test operations. The driver must fill out a log book entry to account for ever mile showing on the odometer. A non-test PEP car (Product Evaluation Program) has a civilian plate and a special sticker on the front windshield identifying it as a GM owned vehicle with a GM Fleet Operations. Blue is usually Engineering Staff. White is Divisional or supplier staff.

The purpose of the bras, covers, Tupperware, checkered decals is not necessarily to hide underneath new styling parts. Its to discourage the auto press from distorting the images that they want to publish as 'spy shots'. They stretch, patch, shrink, narrow, lower and modify their lunch-time photos to present their incredible secret discoveries as exclusive magazine lures.

Good example is the recent Lincoln ad comparing it to a Cadillac. The Caddy images have more Adobe botox in them than a 12 foot snake in order to make the car look more unattractive.

If this particular car was a CTS-V, then its possible that it was run on the 'Ring. But heck, you can pay $5 and run a bicycle and get a sticker. Sorta like going to an amusement park. A Corvette on the 'ring gets a lot of respect from the BMW's, Audis and Ferraris. We often teased a motorcycle on that road and left it in the weeds. The bikers always were amazed that it was just a production car and not a specially prepared one of a kind. Even a CTS-V rental car can smoke just about any car over there. Yes, it takes a driver with some nads...

Great description of things..Thanks.

 

[94BULLITT]

They come through here all the time too. We have a couple cold weather proving grounds around my area.
I saw the new 1500 pickups, the Volt, Camaro and the new Corvette in bras and camouflage before they were released.

I like how they try to disguise them.....then stop at the Tim Hortons for coffee where crowds gather around these zebra striped and bra'd vehicles, LOL.

It has been a couple years since or maybe more since I saw a Vette test car.

I worked at the GM Milford Proving Grounds for almost 40 years as a Test and Development engineer. I drove company cars as part of my job for evaluation, mileage accumulation and durability needs and also as a benefit. In the OP's picture, the key identifier is seen on the dash. It's a form of a decelerometer used by the test driver to put a controlled amount of braking force into the vehicle. This is done for durability and brake wear tests. It's heat, pad life, traction and ABS control stuff (stability control algorithm etc.). It is not uncommon to have GM owned competitive produced vehicles on test, too. (Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans, Fords and Chrysler, etc. This is done for performance evaluation baselines and comparisons.

The M plated cars are licensed for on=public highway test operations. The driver must fill out a log book entry to account for ever mile showing on the odometer. A non-test PEP car (Product Evaluation Program) has a civilian plate and a special sticker on the front windshield identifying it as a GM owned vehicle with a GM Fleet Operations. Blue is usually Engineering Staff. White is Divisional or supplier staff.

The purpose of the bras, covers, Tupperware, checkered decals is not necessarily to hide underneath new styling parts. Its to discourage the auto press from distorting the images that they want to publish as 'spy shots'. They stretch, patch, shrink, narrow, lower and modify their lunch-time photos to present their incredible secret discoveries as exclusive magazine lures.

Good example is the recent Lincoln ad comparing it to a Cadillac. The Caddy images have more Adobe botox in them than a 12 foot snake in order to make the car look more unattractive.

If this particular car was a CTS-V, then its possible that it was run on the 'Ring. But heck, you can pay $5 and run a bicycle and get a sticker. Sorta like going to an amusement park. A Corvette on the 'ring gets a lot of respect from the BMW's, Audis and Ferraris. We often teased a motorcycle on that road and left it in the weeds. The bikers always were amazed that it was just a production car and not a specially prepared one of a kind. Even a CTS-V rental car can smoke just about any car over there. Yes, it takes a driver with some nads...

Thanks for explaining all that.

I liked the Caddy with the 'Ring decal... notice the dirty exhaust stains around the tailpipes: it's either a diesel (?) nah, or run hard!

It had 3.6 TT badges on the back but who knows what may have been under the hood. Usually these cars are dirty like this.

I had a GM company car for over 20 years and I can tell you that if it has a manufacturer plate it is not "just company driven vehicles" They are test vehicles and will probably go to the crusher. If it were just a company driven car the plate would be like all the rest, I had the same tag numbers for ten years about that went from car to car and I had to pay one percent of sticker price per month to be able to drive it. Of you are high enough to get a car you had to pay to drive it.

Thanks, for explaining that, it stinks they go to the crusher.


Did anybody hear about the Ford engineer that was driving a his Ford GT company car and was racing a Z06 that was doing the Bullrun in 2006. I heard the guy lost his job.

Z06 160 mph chase of Ford GT -- BullRun 2006 - Video Dailymotion

 

[Scooby074]

Did anybody hear about the Ford engineer that was driving a his Ford GT company car and was racing a Z06 that was doing the Bullrun in 2006. I heard the guy lost his job.

Z06 160 mph chase of Ford GT -- BullRun 2006 - Video Dailymotion

Man that GT is a runner!! Ive done 230km/h before but not while diving through traffic.. Kinda stupid in that heavy of traffic IMHO.

 

[94BULLITT]

Man that GT is a runner!! Ive done 230km/h before but not while diving through traffic.. Kinda stupid in that heavy of traffic IMHO.

The has one of those junk 5.4's If you watch real close at 4:37 it blows a spark plug out and the vette still can't catch it:laughing:

A Ford GT holds the record on the Texas mile.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Spotted this Tundra with a manufacturer plate and dual exhaust. Not sure what they are doing in Northern MN.

1) Driving the only Tundra in Northern MN.
2) Praying to God their airbag doesn't explode in their face.'
3) Cold weather testing.
4) All of the above.

 

[HHR]

1) Driving the only Tundra in Northern MN. 2) Praying to God their airbag doesn't explode in their face.' 3) Cold weather testing. 4) All of the above.

I would think cold weather or corrosion testing. The chemicals on the roads up here eat Tundra bumpers for lunch.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Here's another test rig running hot.

Fred

I bet that approach to disposal saves a lot on crusher costs.

 

[MikePA]

I bet that approach to disposal saves a lot on crusher costs.

See Post #16.