A little side of jokes for everyone. Happy April Fool's Day everyone.
Let us take some time, to enjoy this rhyme. Let us rest our tools and enjoy some April Fool's. Let us see what our car manufacturers have done, in order to have some fun. Let us sit back, on this joyous day, and see what they have to say. Let us laugh and dream, on what is meant to be seen. Presented by brands, familiar and unknown. But let us give them the time, to view what they have shown. It could be fun, it could be odd, it could be innovative, or it could be aggravating. But let us give them a chance and see how they dance.
Anyways, enough with the rhyme. Happy April Fool's Day and I thought it would be fun to see how our fellow car manufacturers have celebrated with us through the years. From concept campers for your Supercar Huracan, to comfort and ease, wild ideas that honestly, don't seem really that far out from the future. And not to mention fun concepts that we could only dream that would about being put into production. So, let's get started and check out some concepts and adverts from the last decade or so.
Convertibles always hold a soft spot in people hearts, so why not throw one of the Nation's longest selling trucks into the mix? Ford in 2021 announced the convertible Ford F-150 for the 2022 model year. Announced on Ford's Instagram account on April 1st, 2021, at first glance it was able to fool a few, but not everyone took the bait. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if someone took a little bit of extra money and actually made one. Structurally though, you'd have to wonder about safety and rigidity of such a vehicle, especially when it comes to towing.
In 2015, Nissan announced the all-new "Gym" button for all Nissan X-Trail and Quashqai (Nissan Rogue in US) for those looking for a workout while driving. As Nissan states, once pressed, all of the driver assistance systems will turn off to allow "commuters to get their very own workout at the wheel." It also deactivates the self-parking system and shuts down power steering and electric windows. Also, with the GYM function on drivers will have an increased resistance in the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals while the gate of the gearbox is going to be stiffened. The car's infotainment system will register the calories burned and will track the driver's progress through a new app called "Gym and Go."
Jeep Grille Grill
The grill would be perfect for those looking to take advantage of the Wrangler's rugged appeal and could be great for a Jeep-themed camping trip in Colorado, the Amazon rainforest or the Lake District!
Red Bull Racing F1 Wheel
Alfa Romeo Filtered Windows
Honda CR-V Roadster
Kia Aero-Soul
SEAT Electro Reflective
Hyundai Drone Delivery
In 2017, Mini announced the "John Cooker Works" package available for its Mini Cooper. The entire open top into a cook preparation top made out of solid oak and claims to include an induction cooker and includes turning the trunk into a cooling storage area. The food waste management is an accessory that can turn food and water into usable battery power. You can prepare both hot and cold dishes and if bad weather is on the rise, the roof can be put up in 18 seconds without removing the oak surface. See a slideshow of the package here.
It's no swear jar. And with the coin shortage now, it looks like SEAT had an opportune idea of it's Seat Arona SUV by adding a "Copper Edition" to its lineup. It features a coin slot just under the dashboard on the center console which activates the engine to start/stop. Statistics show that the average person has about $20.58 in loose change at any time. However, with its wealth of features, riders in the Arona Copper Edition certainly won’t feel short-changed. The unmistakable silhouette is completed with eye-catching Eclipse Orange metallic paint and 17” alloys, while on the inside copper dash inserts complement a spacious interior that’s crammed with tech, safety and connectivity equipment as standard. Originally, in 2018 the UK Treasury hinted at copper coins getting scrapped due to low usage and SEAT took advantage of the situation and still saw value in them, to the point where they could be used to power up your new Arona cross-over.
While the previous generation MX-5 was on its way out, Mazda decided to give one last special outing. In fact, they went out of the box and did something no other production MX-5 has done, and gave it not only two extra seats, but also two extra doors. The 2014 "Mazda MX-5 four-seater " was shown off just weeks before the all-new redesigned 2015 MX-5/Miata was debuted at the New York Auto Show on April 16.
Audi has always been able to push for outside sources when it came to powering their vehicles of the future. From their Euro-spec high selling "G-Tron" (Natural Gas), their Hydrogen fuel-cell "H-Tron" concept in 2014, and the highly anticipated electric "E-Tron" that was expected to hit dealers as early as 2020. But nothing compares to their 2019 Audi "B-Tron" system which is powered by a sustainable, and naturally harvested substance that comes from the Robina Flowers of Bavaria - Honey.
Porsche Eau d'Essence Perfume
Limited to only 919 bottles, a perfume that smells like "motor oil and tire rubber."
Honda Horn Emoji's
Volvo External Protection System
Ford Active Thanks Assist
McLaren Feather Wrap
Skoda QuarrelKancel Tech
Mini Hipster Hatch
In 2015, Skoda patented some newly developed technology called "ShadeChange" available exclusively for their Skoda Fabia Supermini. It allows the owner to change the color of the body panels by using the on-board touchscreen part of the infotainment system. Each body panel can have a different hue and are coated with a microscopic layer of a newly discovered element called "unobtainium." Also, the wheels can also be painted and all of these color changes can be done while on the go.
As you can see, Mini has a few on our little blog here. From the John Cooker Works, the Mini Hipster Hatch, and this wonderful ad where you can buy one new part every month and build your very own Mini Countryman. There are only 29,672 individual parts which equivalate to just under 2,500 years. Fun ads not mentioned here are their 2012 Amphibious Yachtsman, remote controlled steering wheel, the 8-speed transmission with 2 reverse gears, Tea Fueled Mini Cooper T, and many, many more. It should come as no surprise thought, as Mini's parent company, BMW, is no stranger when it comes to putting out advertisements and news for the day of the jokesters. BMW has been doing this for years, decades actually. And social media has opened a new gateway for them to present many of their crazy ideas. Back in the 80's, they introduced a "Dashboard Tire Pressure Control" module that allowed you to adjust the tire pressure in car from the cabin, even while on the go. A moveable steering wheel allowing your vehicle to be Left or Right hand driven, Driver's Weight sensor, Insect deflector screen and more over the years. See the gallery below of the few ads they've released thought out years...
In fact, BMW took to Instagram last year to announce their very own way, of being able to save on raw materials by announcing the plan to eliminate obsolete parts and options on all of their 2022 model cars. See the video here:
All in all, they got jokes. As stated, it certainly is always enjoyable to see the lighter side of our favorite manufacturers and that there still is a sense of humor when it comes to their products. There is nothing they won't cover as far as from their cars to something they completely shouldn't even be involved with (like Caterham's Lube). Interestingly, one day, some of these jokes may be a reality and even be on the road.
In 2004, BMW Canada once boasted of the new "Retina-evaluating sensory technology" (R.E.S.T.) technology as a special feature in its new cars. The system scanned the eyes of the driver to detect sleep. When detected, the system took full control of the car, allowing the driver to nap peacefully. "Lose consciousness, not control," the ad declared. Now, we see self-driving capabilities from almost every brand in the market. Whether now available, or in development. Some of these can be ridiculous, but some can be fun and surprisingly surreal if released on any date, other than April 1st. I can't wait to see what comes out for 2022.
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