[urq] NAC: Spy photographers : myth or reality ?

[Ed Kellock]

I believe they exist, though I don't have any proof.  I've never met
one, but in 30 years of reading car magazines, seeing them, and
reading stories talking about the profession or specific individuals
emplyed as such, I belive they exist.

When I was in college in Long Beach, CA, I worked in a Fotomat booth
and on a regular basis, I saw a group of late-model Mercedes pull into
the shopping center parking lot and the drivers would go into a store
or fast-food restaurant there.  They all had extensive gear in/on
them... antennas and other stuff.  They weren't disguised, but they
were obviously a test group of some sort.  I finally asked one what
was going on and they were just putting miles on them in real-world
conditions.

At the time I was salivating to get a job like that, but it never came
to be.  These weren't the fodder for spy photogs, but it was the same
sort of testing program, just without any body work they were worried
about being seen.  It's easy to do it with just engines/drivetrains,
but with a totally new model, it's not quite so, hence the need for
disguising them.

I would venture to say that some car companies might put disuised cars
on public roads to throw some teasers out via the spy photogs, but I
doubt they're employed by the car companies.

Ed


On 7/18/05, Louis_Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com
<Louis_Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was having a discussion with a friend, and we had a gentle argument about
> the so called "spy" photographers.
> 
> I ,for one, don't believe these guys really exists. Or, if they really do,
> they just put their name on a shot that some manufacturer sent them. They
> are in fact a PR agency for the manufacturers.
> 
> My arguments are:
> 
> 1- If they wanted, it would be real easy for a car manufacturer to "test"
> their mule in a remote location where no Hans Lehmann, Brenda Priddy or Jim
> Dunne are waiting, hidden in a cache with a 3 ft long zoom.
> 
> 2- Anybody had actually talked, seen or can confirm their existence ?
> 
> 3- Strangely, we never see shots of the "test mules" broken, in fire, in a
> ditch or in any unfavourable position. The cars are always "...cornering
> agressively at the Nurburgring", "...enduring successfuly hot weather
> testing", "...experiencing the most extreme cold of the year", etc. These
> cars are amazingly reliable, for test mules, no ?
> 
> 4- After all these years, even my mother would know that a car with tape
> over the rear lens is a "disguised test mule". Then, if I was a car
> manufacturer, I would have found a way to disguise my cars in less evident
> way !
> 
> 5- And the massive argument : To whom this "spy" shot is profitable ? Who
> is gaining media interest for "free" ? Answer this question and you have
> the proof that they are bogus.
> 
> So, any takers to defend the reality of the spy shots ?
> 
> Louis-Alain
> 
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