For reasons of personal safety and also convenience we cannot tell you where we shot these spy photos, which was at GM's Milford Proving Grounds two days ago at about 9:17 am.
Anyway, our crack shooters got two clean shots of GM's answer to the Aptera 2e two-seat, three-wheel electric vehicle.
Unlike the Aptera, the GM vehicle, known by its codename "Monte Rickshaw," uses one small front wheel which is connected to the passenger cabin/trunk by a long tube. GM is known to have been researching what's known as Chevrolet Advanced Caster Application, or CACA, which allows the front wheel to spin a full 360 degrees and chatter annoyingly in grocery-store parking lots.
The tube is assumed to be packed, flashlight-style with alkaline batteries or, possibly, magic. Steering is thought to be by something called "helper monkey."
Our sources indicate that: A. The vehicle will arrive in dealerships with the throwback Monte Carlo Style rear seen here with the up-to-the-minute matte black paint job. Or, B. Could this be the next Corvette?!
billt9 says:
02:12 PM, 03/20/09
look angel eyes!!!!!1111
briancam says:
02:56 PM, 03/20/09
Yes, totally, The orange thing is the new GM "Power Tube." Duh!
kurtamaxxxguy says:
06:31 PM, 03/20/09
Don't forget the giant rubber band propulsion device concealed within the orange tube. ;-)
greenpony says:
06:36 PM, 03/20/09
Forget electric power steering. They should roll out "helper monkey" to all their vehicles.
altimadude00 says:
08:45 PM, 03/20/09
What in the bloody blue blazes is this thing?
My best guess, (which is a shot in the dark) is that it's a towing mule for it's Heavy Duty trucks. It's used to test manuverability with long trailers.
Either that, or it's GM's contribution to the home made limo contest from Top Gear.
fadetoblackii says:
06:41 AM, 03/21/09
ok who wants to see a video of someone "driving" this thing rickshaw style through rush hour traffic in downtown LA...
heartlessbstrd says:
11:49 AM, 03/21/09
Seriously, what is that thing?
My best guess is that it's some sort of a smallish telemetric assembly with a facade around it to keep drivers from running in to it. As for the boom, the only explanation that I can think of is that the assembly needs to be isolated from the tow vehicle in one way or another.
jeremiah4 says:
04:31 PM, 03/21/09
My guess would be a contraption to test new trailer sway mitigation software in the new GM HD trucks
soulthief says:
05:46 PM, 03/21/09
I guess since you had to take the top secret photo so fast, you didn't have time to remove you finger from the top left of the frame, huh?
minibro77 says:
11:09 AM, 03/22/09
April Fools Day Comes Early???
adantium says:
06:10 AM, 03/23/09
I want me one of those. hahaha
HassanK says:
07:39 AM, 03/24/09
hahahahaha! hilarious! haha!
estreka says:
02:20 PM, 03/24/09
It's an alien probe.