Manufacturers have been using tape, cladding, color and pattern to disguise prototypes for many years. I got interested in the late 80s, and the work is even more extensive today. The patterns you see now are the result of years of tests. Basically, photojournalists can score big time if they can get a clear shot of a prototype and sell it to Road & Track, Autoweek, and other car rags, from whence, competitors can rip off ideas. The goal is to bring your car to market with something competitors haven’t yet developed to give you an edge and be considered the auto equivalent of wearing something from next spring’s collection. For photogs, it means money in the bank because first published always wins.
It’s always fun to spot these cars. When testing at racetracks, track employees and workers are not allowed to photograph anything. I have a friend who was kicked out when caught with his camera at lunchtime, even though he said he was shooting pictures of flowers and bugs only. When they took a look, all he had was flowers and bugs on the camera, but he broke the rules by having the camera on location. That’s how crazy it gets.
You can sometimes spot the cars up in the mountains outside of L.A, anywhere in Michigan and Ohio. We even see camo when they do winter testing in northern MN.