Car April Fools Stuff: BMW lead the way

BMW went to town on creating an M3 pick-up as an April Fools joke

Just as we did last year with car April Fool stuff, it seems to make more sense to do a roundup of what hilarious pranks the motoring world – renowned for its sense of humour – has conjured up this year for your mirth than to run separate stories.

BMW M3 pickup: BMW had one of its jolly japes for this year spoilt somewhat when spy shots of an M3 pickup were taken at the Nurburgring. But sources at BMW admitted it was part of a April Fools Day plan. Which kind of demonstrates the fragile grasp many Germans have on the concept of humour.

The M3 ute was a fully-formed pickup with a targa roof on the passenger cab and still with the M3′s very potent V8 under the bonnet. Which means it can do 186mph round the Nurburgring. Which isn’t an April Fool.

BMW M3 Coupe Royal Edition: BMW had another crack at April Fool hilarity (those Germans – you’ve got to love ‘em) with the M3 Coupe Royal Edition. The news of which was broken by BMW junior operations kindle executive at BMW’s Forschungs und Narren division in Munich – Joe Kerre.

The Royal Edition M3 is supposed to celebrate the Royal Wedding later this month and comes in a choice of three colours - Regal Red, Bridal White and Imperial Blue. It gets Windsor White upholstery and a ‘Will’ emblem.

Land Rover self-levelling tax-disc: Land Rover’s April Fool revolved round the always believable ‘Elf ‘n’ Safety regulations. According to LR, they’ve had to fit a self-levelling tax disc holder to their vehicles to comply with regulations designed to prevent RNS (repetitive Neck Strain) in traffic wardens.

The new self-levelling device would keep the tax disc at an angle not exceeding 10 degrees using Contra-Motion technology. All entirely believable in the over-regulated land in which we live.

Only last night Carla stopped to get flowers for her Mum on the way only to be told they were ‘Out of Date’ so she couldn’t buy them. But better safe than sorry, eh? After all, a wilting flower could kill you. Good thing we have sell-by dates on everything.

SEAT new regional SatNav: SEAT’s new SatNav features Automatic Regional Speech Equivalence to give bespoke SatNav instructions depending on where the car is being driven.

SEAT use the example of a car being driven through the East end announcing ‘Awright geezer, it’s straight on at these lights, innit?’, or one in the West Country offering up ‘Now then lovely, turn right at the T junction, mind.’

West Midlands-born Seat UK head of press & PR, Mike Orford, said: ‘This new SMART technology’s bostin man!  It’s, loik, great an’ ar can’t wait to gie it a goo meself.’

Others included Kia creating ‘Feather Free Zones’ at dealerships by using pigeons to keep other birds from crapping on cars; Mitsubishi teasing a new Mitsubishi Evo AF-J on their Facebook page and Jalopnik being sold to AOL and integrated with Autoblog to create Autoblognik.

More later. Possibly.

By Cars UK