Test cars, ever seen one?

r3nu4l

I was on the M25 (London Orbital) on Monday night heading towards the Dartford tunnel when I saw a black car with all the badges taped up with black tape and tape running down the joins in the doors. It was a left hand drive, big beast and the outline of the badge made me think it was either an Aston Martin or Bentley.

Getting in front of it I knew it was a Bentley straight away when I saw the arrangements of the front lights and the straight nose on the car.

So I took the registration number and did a check today

GX09ASU

Registration GX09ASU
Make BENTLEY
Model UNKNOWN
Description Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
CO2 (g/km)* Not Available
VRT % Rate ** Not Available

Chuffed I spotted it. I was a passenger in the car and took out my work cameraphone to try and get a shot but the driver saw me and put the foot to the floor...wow, can it move

Anyone know what Bentley it might have been?

Actually, a Google search says it may have been the new Arnage...looks like it might have been alright.

.Longshanks.

I haven't seen any myself but dont porsche test new cars around sligo?

emcc

r3nu4l wrote: »

Anyone know what Bentley it might have been?

Actually, a Google search says it may have been the new Arnage...looks like it might have been alright.

Grand Bentley I reckon http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=1533

Captain Slow IRL

Longshanks100 wrote: »

I haven't seen any myself but dont porsche test new cars around sligo?

Do they!? There was a piece in the local rag when they were testing a new car around Belmullet.

EDIT: Come to think of it, I saw 2 black cars, german registered and debadged, travelling together last year on the N59. Thought they were porsche's at the time.

peasant

Longshanks100 wrote: »

I haven't seen any myself but dont porsche test new cars around sligo?

They do indeed and have done so for years

Cayman, new 911, new 911 cabrio and Panamera's have all been seen (but not photographed) on the roads by me before their official market release. All undisguised and on German number plates.
Fellow Sligonian Slidey posted Panamera shots some time ago.

Dark-Mavis

Longshanks100 wrote: »

I haven't seen any myself but dont porsche test new cars around sligo?

True no one builds roads like us to test suspension settings out:D

Think Toyota used to test cars in Ireland too.

Stoolbend

I thought porsche had a unit in clifden where they store the cars while testing them in ireland?

peasant

barry81 wrote: »

I thought porsche had a unit in clifden where they store the cars while testing them in ireland?

they may well have ...the N59 (Galway to Sligo coast road) is one of the worst national roads in the country ...ideal for testing I should think.

A run from Clifden to Sligo and back would probably provide suspension setup data for years to come

Blue850

peasant wrote: »

they may well have ...the N59 (Galway to Sligo coast road) is one of the worst national roads in the country ...ideal for testing I should think.

A run from Clifden to Sligo and back would probably provide suspension setup data for years to come

They test out there, my brother was working for a haulage company a few years and had to collect a container on a trailer near Clifden, it wasn't ready when he got there, it was still being loaded with a disguised 911 and load of spare wheels and testing equipment, he said even the tie down straps were Porsche branded:rolleyes:

ednwireland

Dark-Mavis wrote: »

True no one builds roads like us to test suspension settings out:D

they build roads here ?
just thought they threw tar on the top of a bog

2 Espressi

I've passed a few VAG test groups in West Cork and Kerry, the most memorable was a group of VWs (including the then-unreleased Scirocco and MK6 Golf) coming off the Ballaghbeama Pass. And a group of Audis (including an A3-bodied mule) at the Avoca car park at the top of Moll's Gap, which were "testing rain sensitive wipers" but scarpered when we tok out our cameras...

Slidey

peasant wrote: »

They do indeed and have done so for years

Cayman, new 911, new 911 cabrio and Panamera's have all been seen (but not photographed) on the roads by me before their official market release. All undisguised and on German number plates.
Fellow Sligonian Slidey posted Panamera shots some time ago.

I did indeed.

He tried to drive over me when I was snapping them at a filling station

mcauley

r3nu4l wrote: »

. . .

Actually, a Google search says it may have been the new Arnage...looks like it might have been alright.

Those are just the previously released spy pics of the New Bentley Mulsanne. . .that has since been launched. Maybe it was a variant of the Mulsanne?