On 3 February 2006, Metronet announced that the first of the pre-production cars had been completed in preparation for static testing.

Riksgränsen is a popular location for the winter testing of pre-production cars by various European manufacturers.

Automakers evaluate aspects of vehicles before a full pre-production car is built to find problems.

Sometimes the components used to make a pre-production car are a mix between the prototype models and the mass production versions to come later.

Additionally, pre-production cars may be used as the prototypes (also known as a development mule) for test work for the next model.

In some cases, pre-production cars may be built before management has made final marketing decisions.

However, these were pre-production cars and one of the 2.0-litre diesels was distinctly gruff and unwilling to rev.

With the final design in place, Preston Tucker took the pre-production cars on the road to show them in towns across the country.

Metronet announced on 3 February 2006 that the first of the pre-production cars had been completed to allow it to be tested without being moved.

However, it is reported that a number of different decal sets were being tried out on these pre-production cars.