British Super-Spy Fails at Inconspicuousness

February 4, 2020 2:33 PM

What was with this car I saw on the freeway with right-hand drive and taped-over badging?

In Sacramento, California this morning I saw a white hatchback of an unfamiliar model. It had Michigan license plates and right-hand drive. All of the badging was taped over with black gaffer's tape, as was the entire bumper (a bit sloppily) and most of the area of the tail lights/turn indicators.

So what was the deal? If just a random import, why the tape job? If a test version of an un-announced model, why the right-hand drive? Can you think of a coherent explanation for this?

I have no compelling need-to-know about this, just curious.

posted by agentofselection to Travel & Transportation (2 answers total)

Best answer: It's a manufacturers test mule, with a level of disguising. Probably testing a UK or Australian model version.
posted by Brockles at 2:36 PM on February 4, 2020 [4 favorites]

Best answer: I see these kinds of things all the time over at Pahrump because it is one of the nearest hotels/towns to Death Valley. The Michigan plate is almost certainly a dealer/manufacturer plate and it is likely the UK test mule for a European Ford or GM product that gets registered over here to make testing easier. I have seen (literally) 15 Korean techs pulling all kinds of interior out of what was clearly a badly disguised Kia (with Michigan plate) in the evening outside the Holiday Inn Express, presumably changing something out before going back to Death Valley in the morning...
posted by Brockles at 2:39 PM on February 4, 2020 [12 favorites]