Sexiest Test Mule Ever?

"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake) 07/13/2015 at 13:56 • Filed to: Corvette, CERV, test mule

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Test mules aren’t supposed to be sexy. More often than not test mules are a smorgasbord of mismatched panels and parts carrying a particular engine, transmission, or suspension or brake package that will end up in something looking complete different.

While my favorite test mule of all time might fit the latter part of that description (the mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seater Corvette still eludes us), it certainly doesn’t fit the first part.

The Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (later called CERV I, after there was a CERV II, III and IV) was never really meant to be a concept for a production vehicle or a race car, though it would have looked right at home at the 1960 United States Grand Prix at Riverside — in fact Zora Arkus Duntov himself drove some demo laps in the CERV I at said race.

The CERV I had the looks of a sleek Formula One or Indy car but while the Pete Brock/Larry Shinoda/Bill Mitchell-designed Stingray concept was a precursor to the C2’s stunning looks, the (also Larry Shinoda-designed) CERV was all about what was under the body of the greatest Corvette generation.

The CERV I tested the independent suspension that later appeared in the 1963 Corvette Stingray, including the transverse leaf-spring rear suspension design that has been in every Corvette since, and Duntov had higher aspirations for the 206-mph car (in its final form) had it not been for the AMA’s ban on manufacturer-backed racing.

If you want the only mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seater Corvette-ish (the 377 cu. in. V8 its fitted with has as much to do with any production Corvette engine as the current Chevrolet IndyCar engines have with any production Chevrolet V6) ever made, you can bid on it at the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! at Monterey between Aug. 13-15. Take a big check.

I’ve seen some interesting test mules posted here from time to time, notably the Enzo test mule that had a V12 shoved into a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . What are some of your favorite (hideous or sexy) test mules?

KnowsAboutCars > StingrayJake 07/13/2015 at 14:09

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Not just limited to paved surface testing either.

tromoly > StingrayJake 07/13/2015 at 14:28

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It’s more like a Formula 5000 car than an F1 car due to the Chevy V8 engine package in an open wheel car (which is F5000 in a nutshell), still pretty cool to see.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > StingrayJake 07/13/2015 at 18:26

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The winner is clearly the XJ220 Ford Transit, built to test the 540hp engine and suspension of the XJ220 in secret. It’s currently owned by the Goodwood estate and is somewhat regularly run up the hill, embarrassing much more exotic vehicles while holding a ladder on the roof.

StingrayJake > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 07/13/2015 at 18:30

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Yes.

TA4K > tromoly 07/28/2015 at 01:30

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Fun Fact; New Zealand has the largest assortment of F5000 cars in the world, including a current racing series with the same crazy driving, and at some events having up to 20 car grids. We also once had 2 turbo Ferrari F1 cars race with the F5000 grid.