A test mule, as you know, is a car used by a manufacturer to test the systems which will be featured in future models. This role however does not guarantee the test mule will live on after it has completed its task. In fact, it pretty much guarantees destruction.
BMW even has a dedicated branch which is in charge with putting to rest test mules, prototypes, pre-production models and other such vehicles. It's called the Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDZ), is located near Munich and is responsible for killing 4,000 vehicles each year.
Most of those kills however reincarnate into new models. According to BMW Magazine, about 90 percent of the car is recycled after it is destroyed.
The destruction process is very simple and the result is featured in the photo attached to this piece. Once the car has been drained of all fluids, it is also stripped of pretty much anything which made it a car (components, batteries, engine and so on).
Once this operation is complete, the car heads for the crusher, a nightmare-machinery which tosses it around until the car becomes a cube. But that's not the end of it.
Once cubed, sort of speak, the remains of the car begin being shredded to allow workers to sort all the entangled pieces and sort metals, plastic and whatever is left of the car. The metal remains are then melted and, what do you know, becomes part of a new BMW.
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