Sponsored Links

We here at GM Authority have covered a multitude of test vehicles and prototypes over the years, bringing you all the latest info on GM’s new and upcoming models. However, once those test vehicles and prototypes have served their purpose, what happens to them? Well, they’re usually crushed, as was the fate for these new General Motors vehicles spotted in a Wisconsin junkyard.

Exterior of a crushed Chevy Silverado pickup.

Recently making the rounds on social media, the collection of photos shows some pretty interesting models. Among the pulverized General Motors vehicles are several examples of the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Chevy Silverado HD pickups, a full-size Chevy SUV (either a Chevy Tahoe or a Chevy Suburban), a Chevy Traverse, a Cadillac CT5-V, and even a Cadillac Lyriq prototype covered in black-and-white camouflage. Oddly, one of the pickups looks as though it includes a GM Canada window sticker.

Of course, seeing all these crushed new GM vehicles, some readers may be wondering why General Motors doesn’t simply resell the testers. The main issue is liability – if the vehicles were used for testing or modified in some way, they are likely unsuitable for the general public, and if involved in an accident, could present the automaker with a huge lawsuit. That liability even trickles down to the individual components used, and what’s more, the cost of disassembling the vehicle likely isn’t worth the money regained in reselling the components.

As such, automaker test vehicles are usually just crushed. However, it’s still interesting to see the state of these test vehicles after the fact. The crushed Cadillac Lyriq is particularly interesting, not only because it is still covered in The General’s black-and-white camo wrap, but also because the photos include a shot of the open hood, giving us a look at the EV drive components hiding underneath.