Spotted Test mules, but of what???

brodfloyd · 17-01-2006, 06:11 PM

Yesterday, i was in broadford, victoria, just chilling out when i saw 4 cars covered to the eye balls in black tape and car bra's.
They were flanked by a few brand new falcons and the lead one of these cars had a Kenards Hire Horse float on it.
Now this car looked like a volvo, but bigger, so im wondering what it was???.

I didnt think volvo would test mules in australia, so thats why im thinking its a ford model that has some more "european" design aspects. Im probably wrong, but im still intrigued, any ideas???

I wish i had my phone out to take photos but i was too busy looking at the cars going "what the hell is that???"

Fairlane · 17-01-2006, 06:19 PM

Focus Xr5 perhaps?

big_pete · 17-01-2006, 06:20 PM

picsorban!

haha, youve let alot of people down by not getting pics
interesting though.......

EA2BA · 17-01-2006, 06:22 PM

It could have been anything, they tape them up to look like anything but the car they are, the horse float would have been for load stress testing, very interesting.

Smoke Pursuit · 17-01-2006, 06:34 PM

Next model falcon id say!

LUXO_8 · 17-01-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShockWaveXR6na

Next model falcon id say!

exactly what i was going to say...
they would be well into the build of it...

brodfloyd · 17-01-2006, 06:44 PM

it was a large sedan, so not a focus,

and im really sorry about not getting photos, but i work for a funeral home and as the coffin leaves the church it may have been bad taste to crack out my phone as the coffin is being carried out and run onto the road and start snapping. It looked bad enough that i had my head ИИИИed 90 degrees. oh well.

It looked vovlo cos it had the scolloped out bitst that go from the doors to the boot, like on the S60/80?!?! i think, sorta like more prominent ones than what are on the falcon at the moment. It looked really volvo-ish, but the chances of them doing product development here i think is minimal

I think the trailer is for stress testing here, but i can say it looked nothing like the pictures of the commodore in motor this month, so its definently not that.

And as much as i would love to say i have the scoop on the new falcon, i doubt it only cos the holden is gonna be on sale a full year ahead of the falcon and they are only still testing them in the US. Although this could be because holden hasnt done much engineering in aus on the VE.

And, if it was the new falcon, we are stuffed, cos this thing wasnt really that pretty, infact, it looked more like an evolution of au then BF.

it could be the Mitsu Verada?!?!?!? could it? but i didnt think they were making one, and all the ford cars in this convoy, really confuses me. Someone has to know something

sfr rob · 17-01-2006, 06:52 PM

hmmm.. i am excited now.. maybe it i the new falcon???

Laminge · 17-01-2006, 06:55 PM

get a pen out, paper, draw it, scan it and then post it!

Dr Smith · 17-01-2006, 06:56 PM

I may be wrong but I don't think any full Orion prototypes are running yet and so any mechanicals are still under BA's/BF's and thus not requiring any disguise. A long time ago some LS1 posters mentioned they had been invited to Orion styling clinics however this body was a fibrglass mock-up. Interestingly most desribed it as stunning, especially side profile ...even if a falcon with one quote "Subie Liberty crossed with current XR.

brodfloyd · 17-01-2006, 07:04 PM

http://www.volvocars.com.au/Showroom...lery/Exterior/

it looked like a 1 and a half scale version of this, except covered in tape and pulling a horsefloat.

LUXO_8 · 17-01-2006, 07:12 PM

im still tempted to think it'd be the next falcon, what else could it be....

brodfloyd · 17-01-2006, 07:16 PM

thats what i think, it doesnt make sense that it is the falcon, but it doesnt make sense that its not.

**Charliewool** · 17-01-2006, 07:43 PM

This is from old FF... Now this was NOT the BF they were showing us!.. So surely by now they'd have what we saw as drivable vehicles by now?? (Not the reference to Scalloped doors)

I did a survey type day on the new Falcons at Jeff's Shed back in late August.(03)
It took 3 hrs and was paid $100 (plus arvo tea & scones & free parking lol) They had 4 clay models, 4 front interiors to sit in & choose from, then a round table discussion.(Unseen Ford execs in another room videoing & recording the lot)
Although the clays were only base model falcons, at the round table discussion they showed poster size pics of the XR versions (3 fronts, rears and sides) & yes Very European, with the front that everyone decided on looking a little Merc CLK-ish BUT VERY tough! The side elevation looked slightly "cougarish" with scalloped doors & a similar wedge type shape.
It is SO hard to describe without pics, and there was NO way of taking any (as previous said, all phones were confiscated at the door)
There were 12 of us present, from memory 5 were SS drivers, the rest of us, either BAXR or FPV drivers. Without exception, everyone agreed if this (XR version) was released tomorrow, that they would order one!
Good on Ford for enlisting the general public to get feedback & express opinions.

sfr rob · 17-01-2006, 08:15 PM

wow.. i love rumours!!!! seriously fun stuff! LOL

brodfloyd · 17-01-2006, 09:05 PM

i've decided im gonna tell people that i saw Orion GT-HO phase 5 proto's, that makes it more fun

**Charliewool** · 17-01-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brodfloyd

i've decided im gonna tell people that i saw Orion GT-HO phase 5 proto's, that makes it more fun

Ahhhhh, so the V10 badges WERE visible??

:

AUXRVIII · 17-01-2006, 10:20 PM

Why couldn't Volvo do hot weather testing here? What's to say the new Falcons were'nt rentals? Why would a Kennards trailer be required by FOMOCO when previous spy pics of Fords showed with trailers etc were custom made units? Seems logical to me they were Volvo's.
My 2 cents.

ltd · 17-01-2006, 10:55 PM

I'm getting excited too. I heard a rumour that the new falcon was to have components from the american 500, but I'm not sure what. The 500 however does have scalloped doors.

ltd · 17-01-2006, 10:56 PM

Oh, and Ford own Volvo anyway.

2fishingdogs · 17-01-2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ltd

Oh, and Ford own Volvo anyway.

Then why would they not use the cutom trailers that ford use for testing?
The plot thickens

LUXO_8 · 17-01-2006, 11:25 PM

you're all forgetting something, they werent testing the cars but they were testing out their new groundbreaking horses.........

AnthonyQLD · 17-01-2006, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2fishingdogs

Then why would they not use the cutom trailers that ford use for testing?
The plot thickens

: So many questions and so few answers

:

jmc-007 · 17-01-2006, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2fishingdogs

The plot thickens

it sure does. then you think that the new ford concept has a similar side to the next falcon or cues from it. (according to j mays)

custom trailers you would think so but you never know. to make people even more crosseyed perhaps??

is this a V10 one too ehahahahahahah

jmc-007 · 17-01-2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

you're all forgetting something, they werent testing the cars but they were testing out their new groundbreaking horses.........

Hopefully Horse POWER

**Charliewool** · 17-01-2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MADNC_8

you're all forgetting something, they werent testing the cars but they were testing out their new groundbreaking horses.........

Maybe the 06 mustangs were in the floats?
:togo:

LUXO_8 · 17-01-2006, 11:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliewool

Maybe the 06 mustangs were in the floats?
:togo:

haha maybe

Outbackjack · 17-01-2006, 11:34 PM

I see test mules out here in the Alice all the time... They come here to test their product for heat performance. We also see brand new aircraft here being tested for performance in the heat before they are deiivered to their new owners.....

qwigybo · 18-01-2006, 02:54 AM

maybe they were testing a gtho coupe

Outbackjack · 18-01-2006, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwigybo

maybe they were testing a gtho coupe

What a dream come true that would be!!!