# Development mule

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Prototype vehicle for testing

"Mule car" redirects here. For mule-drawn cars, see [horsecar](/source/Horsecar).

[Porsche 918](/source/Porsche_918) Spyder development mule in [Monaco](/source/Monaco) (2013)

A [camouflaged](/source/Dazzle_camouflage) pre-production [BMW X5](/source/BMW_X5_(F15)) mule near [Munich](/source/Munich), Germany (2013)

[Honda Civic](/source/Honda_Civic_(tenth_generation)) mules at [Death Valley](/source/Death_Valley)'s [Badwater Basin](/source/Badwater_Basin) in the United States (2015)

[Hyundai Grandeur](/source/Hyundai_Grandeur#Seventh_generation_(GN7;_2022)) mule in [South Korea](/source/South_Korea) (2022)

[iCar V27](/source/ICar_V27) mule in [China](/source/China) (2025)

A **development mule**, also known as **test mule** or simply **mule**, in the [automotive industry](/source/Automotive_industry) is a [testbed](/source/Testbed) vehicle equipped with [prototype](/source/Prototype) components requiring evaluation. They are often camouflaged to cover their designs.

## Application

Mules are necessary because [automakers](/source/Automaker) must assess new aspects of vehicles for both strengths and weaknesses before production. Mules are drivable, sometimes [pre-production](/source/Pre-production_car) vehicles often years away from realization and coming after a [concept car](/source/Concept_car) that preceded the design of critical mechanical components. A mule or engineering development is not the same as a preproduction car because changes are made constantly as the vehicle goes through the engineering development process.[1]

Some mules are built to function as test beds for entry into new market segments such as the mid-engined test mules developed in Italy and Germany for [American Motors Corporation](/source/American_Motors_Corporation) (AMC).[2] Surviving examples of these mules are unique.[3] Manufacturers also explore different solutions such as developing an "Urban Concept" car where not only a [rotary engine](/source/Wankel_engine) and front-wheel-drive were considered for a small car, but "the first mule was made by cutting down a [Matador](/source/AMC_Matador) by 30 in (762 mm) in front and back."[4] Mules using modified existing cars may also be used as a development tool to simulate battery-powered vehicles by incorporating their weight, mass distribution, and suspension to evaluate ride and handling.[5]

Mules may also have advanced chassis and powertrain designs from a prospective vehicle that need testing, which can be effectively concealed in the body and interior of a similarly sized production model.[6][7] In some cases, a completely unrelated vehicle is adapted to hide the powertrain and other mechanicals being tested. For instance, when the [Jaguar XJ220](/source/Jaguar_XJ220) was under development, a [Transit van](/source/Ford_Transit) was modified with a mid-mounted [Jaguar XJ220](/source/Jaguar_XJ220) engine and it had candy wrappers and tabloids on the dashboard to make it look like a regular work vehicle.[8]

If no comparable vehicle is available in-house or an external benchmark is being used mules may be based on another manufacturer's model. For example, in the 1970s the new powertrain package of first-generation [Ford Fiesta](/source/Ford_Fiesta) was developed using mules based on the then class-leading [Fiat 127](/source/Fiat_127), as Ford had no comparable compact model of similar size to utilize.[9]

Mules are also used to conceal styling changes and visible telltales of performance alterations in near-production vehicles, receiving varying degrees of [camouflage](/source/Camouflage) to deceive rival makers and thwart a curious automotive press. Such alterations can span from distracting shrinkwrap designs, somewhat reminiscent of [dazzle camouflage](/source/Dazzle_camouflage), to substituting crude cylindric shapes for taillights, non-standard wheels, or assemblages of plastic and tape to hide a vehicle's shape and design elements.[10] The wraps may also serve as part of marketing techniques to promote future car reveals.[11]

Development mules are often used very heavily during testing and [scrapped](/source/Scrap).[12] Automakers also use auto racing and develop components for race cars that serve as development mules for their performance parts, such as AMC’s "Group 19" program.[13][14][15]

Occasionally, mule vehicles are acquired by members of the automaker's engineering team or executives overseeing the design process.[16][17] In some cases, the test mules may be evaluated as being better than the final products.[18]

## See also

- [Automotive design](/source/Automotive_design)

- [Pre-production car](/source/Pre-production_car)

- [Vehicle glider](/source/Vehicle_glider)

- [Clay modeling](/source/Clay_modeling)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Lamm, Michael (July 1983). ["PM First Hand Report: Dodge Daytona"](https://books.google.com/books?id=oNgDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Development+mule+car&pg=PA88). *[Popular Mechanics](/source/Popular_Mechanics)*. Vol. 160, no. 1. p. 88. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Chin, Chris (27 November 2019). ["First-Ever AMC AMX/3 Prototype Bound for Restoration After Sitting for Nearly 50 Years"](https://www.thedrive.com/news/31204/first-ever-amc-amx-3-prototype-bound-for-restoration-after-sitting-for-nearly-50-years). *The Drive*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Perez, Jeff (26 December 2016). ["This AMX/3 could be the most expensive AMC ever sold"](https://www.motor1.com/news/132251/most-expensive-amc-auction/). *Motor1*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Niedermeyer, Paul (2 November 2022). ["Vintage R&T Technical Analysis: AMC's New Pacer – As Short As A Pinto; As Wide As A Chevelle"](https://www.curbsideclassic.com/vintage-reviews/vintage-rt-technical-analysis-amcs-new-pacer/). *Curbside Classic*. Retrieved 7 January 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [*Near-term Electric Vehicle Program*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ebXrAWSed1AC&dq=Development+mule+car&pg=PP13). Department of Energy. 1978. p. 13. Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Healey, James R. (1 May 2009). ["Drivers could get a charge out of Chevrolet Volt"](https://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2009-04-30-chevrolet-volt-early-look_N.htm). *USA Today*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** McCraw, Jim (September 1992). ["Sneak Previews of U.S. Cars to Come"](https://books.google.com/books?id=lwEAAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Development+mule%22+auto&pg=PA69). *Popular Science*. Vol. 241, no. 3. pp. 68–72. Retrieved 31 July 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Demuro, Doug (5 November 2018). ["The Jaguar XJ220 Development Mule Was a Ford Van"](https://www.autotrader.com/car-news/jaguar-xj220-development-mule-was-ford-van-281474979894068). *Autotrader*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Fiesta is a worthy UK record breaker"](https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/lifestyle/fiesta-is-a-worthy-uk-record-breaker-2258964). *worksopguardian.co.uk*. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Dunne, Jim](/source/Jim_Dunne_(automotive_spy_photographer)) (December 1991). ["Detroit Spy Report"](https://books.google.com/books?id=puMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Development+mule%22+auto&pg=PA108). *Popular Mechanics*. Vol. 168, no. 12. p. 108. Retrieved 31 July 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Maserati's New Supercar Mule Teases New Powertrain"](https://moparinsiders.com/maseratis-new-supercar-mule-teases-new-powertrain/). *MoparInsiders*. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** For example, "...pushed the development mule to 150.583 mph (242.340 km/h)..." Schorr, Martyn L. (March 1993). ["Show of Force"](https://books.google.com/books?id=c88DAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Development+mule%22&pg=PA56). *Popular Mechanics*. Vol. 180, no. 3. p. 59. Retrieved 31 July 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** McClurg, Bob (20 March 2017). ["6-Year Restoration Resurrects AMC's First Super Stock Drag Race Car, Topel's 1967 Rambler Rebel"](https://tamrazs.wordpress.com/2017/03/20/6-year-restoration-resurrects-amcs-first-super-stock-drag-race-car-topels-1967-rambler-rebel/). *Tamrazs*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Tom, David (2013). *The cars of Trans-Am racing: 1966-1972*. North Branch, MN: CarTech. p. 153. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781613250518](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781613250518).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Eisenschenk, Wes (15 March 2016). [*Lost Muscle Cars*](https://books.google.com/books?id=P86MCwAAQBAJ&dq=mule+car+Group+19&pg=PA47). CarTech. p. 47. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781613252253](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781613252253). Retrieved 28 December 2022 – via Google Books.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Truesdell, Richard. ["John Goergen's 1966 343 prototype"](http://photos.imageevent.com/mmm_mag/pdffiles/USA%201967%20AMC%20Rogue%20343%20Musclecar%20Enthusiast.pdf) (PDF). *Musclecar Enthusiast*. p. 59. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["1966 Drivable AMX Prototype"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120509010025/http://route66rambler.com/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=136%2F1966_drivable_amx). 5 July 2007. Archived from [the original](http://route66rambler.com/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=136%2F1966_drivable_amx) on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Silvestro, Brian (5 March 2018). ["Nine of the Coolest Test Mules"](https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/g19087332/coolest-test-mules/). *Road & Track*. Retrieved 31 July 2022.

## External links

Media related to [Development mules](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Development_mules) at Wikimedia Commons

- ["How does Renault work to develop the car of the future? A mule story! - Renault Group"](https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/news-on-air/news/how-does-renault-work-to-develop-the-car-of-the-future-a-mule-story/). Renault Group. 11 July 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

- ["Prototypes and Mules"](https://www.italdesign.it/services-assembly-and-construction/prototypes-and-mules/). Italdesign. Retrieved 28 December 2022.

Authority control databases GND

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Development mule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_mule) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Development_mule?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.