i saw it.....you want to read this

[Mr Snappy]

Could also be a test mule.
I have seen several new vehicles on trips to vegas, some disguised, some not. Some manufacturers will send new vehicles or new engine configs to the desert areas to test them in extreme conditions.

[HummBebe]

Originally Posted by Mr Snappy

Could also be a test mule.

yep

[3Hummer]

Probably a test car, and i bieleve Rubher yellow ducky is right. It was the one shown at the super bowl, i wasnt there to see it but my friend drove down there and told me 'bout it.

[f5fstop]

Sorry, most test mules are not produced with new colors. In fact. majority of the time they will be good old white. Another interesting note, the future V8 in the alpha has been in H3s for quite a while and driven on the roads. You may have actually passed one and not knew it. There were many 2007 and some limited number of 2006 vehicles, that had their 5-cylinders taken out, and the body modified to allow for a V8. These vehicles were then driven around the USA. Hoover Dam is a very popular place due to the massive amount of EMI produced by all those generators and the massive electrical wires. Helps prove out the shielding used on the computers. There are actually some vehicles running around with some 2009 surprise components.

What you saw was either a pre-production vehicle where the last two digits of the VIN are EX, or an actual production vehicle. There are actually quite a few actual production vehicles in MI and some have gone on extended trips outside MI to the wild, wild west. These production vehicles are called Captured Test Vehicles, and are part of a Captured Test Fleet.
Eventually the ones with a full production VIN will be sold, usually to employees.

I guess H3builder could let us know how long they have been building them, but I know we have had some production models for a few weeks, and pre-production (EX Vins) for a month. EX are as good as production, but they may not have valideated parts so they can't be sold. Eventually, they are crushed, donated, or kept in some areas for future "things."

The one at the Super Bowl was not an actual production vehicle. It would have been a 07 that was custom built for auto shows, and could never be sold.

By the way, the favorite color in the Captured Test Fleet appears to be the Solar Flare Metallic (the orangy color).

Did the MI plate have an "M" for the middle letter (Example: 001M020)?

[HCUBE]

I saw an Alpha, rust orange, about 3 weeks ago in a golf course parking lot in Shreveport, LA. I didn't noitice the letter M, but it was a manufaturer license plate.

[Matt19]

I already ordered me an alpha here in Georgia. Apparently they are releaseing 2 new colors, but the dealor said the "cell green" might not last long (he could be bull $hitting). Anyway i ordered black, final price wasn't alot more than my '07, just about 6ks. I am trading the 07 in and getting the alpha, and my dad just has to pay 10k becasue he has about 4k left to pay off.
Anyway, i have the stats for what I ordered in the alhpa, but their werent that many options to add becasue alot is already included. Im stoked i get a hard cover for the spare

That bright burnt orange color must be getting popular. Also saw a new Land Rover LR2 in that color.

[H3 Builder]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

I guess H3builder could let us know how long they have been building them, but I know we have had some production models for a few weeks.

We have built about 70 "sellable" over the last 2 months

[timgco]

It's great being in CO close to MT Evans. Every time we go up there, we see pre production cars/ trucks being tested on the highest paved road in N AMerica. LAst year we saw some type of BMW. THere were a bunch of them. Also saw 4door pickup that was all taped up, masked off to hide the tru lines of the truck.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by H3 Builder

We have built about 70 "sellable" over the last 2 months

Only 70? I keep forgetting that the VIN sequence numbers include the Colorado/Canyon. At first I was perplexed since I have number 088 (28U - SOLAR FLARE METALLIC; build date: 05/08/2007), and I was looking at number 209 (75U - GRAPHITE METALLIC; build day: 05/23/2007 ) the other day. In VIS they both show as saleable; Event 10 PEP vehicles. So, there must be a bunch of 2008 C/Cs running around.

[H3 Builder]

Not only a lot of Colorados and Canyons, but quite a few regular I5 H3's, also. So the total is around 250.