Nissan Caught Spray-Painting Test Vehicles Before Crushing

Upon a cursory glance at these photos of the graffiti-ridden Z coupe and older-generation Frontier pickup trucks, one might think that someone had a downright vendetta against everything Nissan. But hold on to your hats because here’s the kicker: the sneaky culprits behind these bizarre scenes are none other than the folks at Nissan themselves. Alas, it appears that these are test vehicles that are on the cusp of embarking upon their final journey to the illustrious automotive graveyard.

Automakers sure love their little crusher parties, sending countless test cars, prototypes, and mules to their doom each year. They usually keep it hush-hush, but hey, sometimes we get a whiff of the destruction. In some cases, parts are salvaged to whatever extent possible before that happens. However, in this particular situation, it appears that Nissan is taking extraordinary measures to ensure that these cars are crushed with a certain degree of prejudice.

According to a post on the New Nissan Z Facebook page, these cars are purported to be demo vehicles that are destined for the crusher. The reason behind the automaker’s decision to spray paint them in such a manner remains a bit of a mystery, leaving everyone to speculate on their motives.

We reached out both to the poster and to Nissan itself to confirm whether or not these really are what they’re reported to be. Here’s what the Japanese automaker told us.

“Nissan regularly works with a number of third parties to dispose of vehicles in accordance with company and government regulations. It is common practice industry-wide for pre-production units to be disposed of at the end of their intended use in the development of the vehicle.”

So there we have it. It appears that Nissan’s third-party development-vehicle executioner is the one responsible for the spray-painting seen here. This explanation seems logical, considering that all three vehicles showcase various forms of writing alongside the scribbles.

This isn’t the first time that we’ve heard about Nissan crushing its own cars. Last year, we confirmed that Nissan planned to crush a number of its older concept vehicles after they left storage underneath Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN. Somehow the destruction of these two old trucks and lone Z car feels a little less painful after that previous incident.

While it may seem strange for an automaker to go through the trouble of spray-painting their own vehicles before crushing them, there could be a method to their madness. By defacing the cars, Nissan ensures that they cannot be sold or mistaken for production models. This prevents any potential legal issues or confusion in the market.

Additionally, the spray-painting serves as a visual representation of the end of the vehicle’s life cycle. It symbolizes the transition from a test vehicle to a discarded prototype, marking the completion of its purpose in the development process.

Although it may be disheartening for car enthusiasts to see these vehicles meet their demise, it is important to remember that this is a common practice in the automotive industry. Test vehicles have a limited lifespan and must be disposed of in accordance with regulations.

In conclusion, while the sight of spray-painted Nissan test vehicles may initially raise eyebrows, it is simply a part of the automaker’s process for disposing of pre-production units. By defacing the cars, Nissan ensures they are not mistaken for production models and avoids any potential legal issues. So, while it may be a bittersweet sight for car enthusiasts, it is ultimately a necessary step in the development cycle.