Prototype sports car in New Zealand for secret winter testing crashes near Queenstown

A camouflaged prototype sports car, linked to a top-secret winter testing programme in the Cardrona Valley, has crashed near Queenstown.

The sleek, high-performance coupe was part of a convoy of test cars, based at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG), when it collided with a Subaru Outback on the Crown Range around 9.30am on Saturday.

The camouflaged sports car shows heavy front-end damage after the crash. Photo / Supplied

Photos from the scene show the camouflaged sports car with front-end damage, and staff in AMG-branded clothing working to conceal the vehicle.

Two other covered test vehicles were spotted at the scene, along with equipment being removed from the crashed car. They were also quickly covered with sheets after the crash.

The prototype car appears to have crossed the centreline before colliding with the Subaru. Photo / Supplied

The vehicle may have crossed the centreline into the path of the Subaru, according to a witness who came across the scene.

Staff in AMG-branded clothing work quickly to conceal the prototype from view. Photo / Supplied

The damaged vehicle was winched onto a recovery truck and taken away from the crash site.

The SHPG facility, located in the ranges above the Cardrona Valley, is one of the world’s leading cold-weather testing environments.

The damaged vehicle was taken away from the scene on the back of a truck. Photo / Supplied

It attracts major global car manufacturers who test pre-release and prototype vehicles under strict confidentiality.

A covered test vehicle sits nearby as equipment is removed from the crash site. Photo / Supplied

It is understood that the crashed vehicle may be a yet-to-be-released Mercedes AMG EV coupe, closely resembling recent models slated for release around 2028.

In 2023, footage of a camouflaged Tesla Cybertruck being tested at the same facility emerged on social media.

SHPG has been approached for comment.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.