What is VW's fake development mule like to thrash around a rally track? Awesome.

​If you're anything like me, spotting a disguised development mule is like copping a pre-release screening of the next Bond movie, although admittedly like watching it through that camouflage netting Victorian Police like to hide speed cameras with. 

Anyway, the only thing better than chancing upon an engineering test car would be driving one, but chances to do that are rarer than non-shite Brosnan 007 films.

VW gave us the next best thing last week, by throwing us the keys to its Korama SUV prototype for a couple of laps of the Melbourne 4x4 Training and Proving Ground's rally circuit just outside Melbourne.

There's no doors cut into the body, so climbing aboard requires serious contortion.

I say the next best thing, however, because the Korama isn't really a prototype at all. 

It's quite honestly a fake development mule, created to drum up interest before the launch of the Amarok V6 ute late last year. And while it doesn't represent an actual future production car, it's certainly rarer than any real mule.

Even with four pools worth of fibreglass on top, the Amarok V6 is surprisingly quick. 

This is because mules usually travel in packs, spreading learnings across several hand-built examples. The Korama, however, is a one-off marketing prop that's due to be sent back to Germany to be scrapped in the near future. 

Underneath what must be about four swimming pools worth of vaguely Lamborghini-shaped fibreglass is an Amarok chassis propelled by the 165kW/550Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 engine that is Australia’s torquiest light commercial ute's headline act.

People often laugh in the face of death, as demonstrated from the co-pilot's seat by our own James Cleary.

The only other deviations from Amarok V6 standard kit are fat 33x12.5-inch mud terrain tyres that wrap huge aftermarket beadlocked rims, a roll cage, race seats and four-point harnesses. 

It's also got thick black plastic blankets covering all interior trim to hide the standard Amarok bits beneath.

Thick black plastic blankets hide the standard Amarok trim beneath.

There's no doors cut into the body, so climbing aboard requires a step ladder and contorted pummel horse skills to squeeze through the shallow window opening. A bit like entering a charity clothing bin. 

Time was tight, so we were given just two laps of the short gravel circuit.

Firing up the big V6, it's just as quiet and smooth as it is in any regular Amarok TDI550, or Porsche Cayenne for that matter.

There's several jolly good reasons why production cars don't drive quite like this anymore. 

Marketing props don't need rorty exhausts it seems,  but one prod of the throttle explains why, as the Korama bounds off the line like a fastish passenger car. Even with four pools worth of fibreglass on top, the Amarok V6 is surprisingly quick. 

Those mud tyres have plenty of accelerative grip, but the first corner soon makes it clear that the ABS and stability control systems have been deactivated. Judicious braking pressure is required and four-pool weight transfer makes for some mammoth scando flick inertia.

The extra weight makes for some mammoth scando flick inertia.

This soon turns into sweet, sweet oversteer, but before you get too far off course the Torsen centre diff all-wheel drive system pulls you straight and on to the next corner. 

There's several jolly good reasons why production cars don't drive quite like this anymore, but on this track, I'm glad the Korama does. 

In the real world, you can just buy an Amarok V6, fit a rooftop tent and a few jerry cans on a roofrack, and turn off the stability control and probably have most of that fun. On a closed rally track of course.

What priceless one-off would you like to be thrown the keys to? Tell us in the comments.