A Mercedes-AMG C63 with a lift kit and massive fender flares was caught in the wild by an Instagram user based in Russia. Car manufacturers go to great lengths to disguise what cars they are road testing, which leads us to believe that this mule isn’t for a Mercedes product at all.
Based on a few key facts we can conclude that this test mule was actually built to test components of the Aston Martin DBX SUV. According to Carscoops, this Instagram photo was taken at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, which is quite close to the Aston Martin DBX factory in St. Athan, Wales. Carscoops also mentions that the wheels being used on the lifted C63 test mule come from the current Aston Martin DBX, which is another indicator that this test mule is for the DBX SUV.
Since the C63 body used for the test mule comes from a pre-facelift car, this DBX test mule may have been used to develop the original DBX and is still in use today to secretly refine the current SUV. The current Aston Martin DBX SUV is the first SUV offering from Aston Martin and features a Mercedes-AMG sourced twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine.
When the Aston Martin DBX debuted in early 2020 it brought Aston Martin into the growing SUV market and allowed Aston Martin to grow its market share and customer base. Aston Martin took a great deal of time to develop the DBX to ensure it gave customers a true Aston Martin driving experience, so it’s no surprise that clever test mules like this C63 exist.
Unique test mules like this lifted C63 are a very unique way to try and retain ambiguity while testing new products out in the open. Hopefully, we can learn more about this specific mule now that it’s becoming the most famous lifted Mercedes-AMG C63 on the internet.