Pre-production car

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Pre-production cars are vehicles that allow the automaker to find problems before a new model goes on sale to the public. These are typically built in small quantities on a slave production line, or in some cases on the real production line alongside the current model. Typically the parts used will be off production tooling, or at least are intended to represent the final part very closely. Sometimes they are a mix between the prototype models and the serial production versions to come later. In some cases, manufacturers use pre-production cars to provide the automotive press a chance to experience and create publicity and articles about the models yet to hit dealer showrooms. Some of these cars are destroyed during crash tests. Most of the rest are scrapped as they do not meet the safety regulations, or used as the basis of prototypes for test work for the next model. They are preceeded by prototypes, which themselves are preceeded by concept cars.