Tesla using Dodge Magnum bodies to disguise Model S test mules?

Just as General Motors has been driving Volt powertrains around Detroit in last-generation Malibu sedans, so the latest reports indicate Tesla may be testing its Model S sedan under Dodge Magnum wagon skins. While the corporate connection isn't as clear, the argument for something unusual going on beneath the surface of the car spotted is persuasive.

Captured by a Tesla Motors Club forum denizen at the site of a future Menlo Park, California Tesla store the Dodge Magnum in question shows several key differences from its production variants. A missing tailpipe, steel wheels and no license plate, taken together with the car's location, appear to add up to a test platform out for a spin.

The latest reports also indicate sources inside the company are confirming the car is in fact one of several test platforms for the Model S sedan's running gear. It makes good sense, since the bulky wagon provides ample room for pre-production packaging and testing equipment to be housed safely inside the car, safe from the elements.