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Motoring April Fool’s 2009: the best and worst

By Tim Pollard Motoring Issues 01 April 2009 00:01 Those crazy car makers have been letting their hair down to present us with an array of April Fool’s Day fodder. We’ve handily collated all the gags and jokes that’ve landed in our intray today – and you can name and shame the best and worst in our CAR Magazine poll below. So read and weep – and then vote!

Opel / Vauxhall Ampera on hold over Chevy Volt fire

Opel / Vauxhall Ampera on hold over Chevy Volt fire With the NHTSA investigating Chevy Volt battery fires, the debut of the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera has been put on hold. If you ignore the price, we’re all in favour of the range extender hybrid option as the most elegant solution to electric cars. But new technology is not without its problems, as GM are finding out with the Chevy Volt.

Porsche reveals Panamera Turbo S

PORSCHE has taken the wraps off its new Panamera Turbo S, built for those who think the regular Turbo is neither fast nor exclusive enough. Prices will start at more than £131,000 for the car, which uses a twin-turbocharged 562bhp V8 petrol engine and four-wheel drive to catapult its two-tonne bulk to 62mph in just 3.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 192mph. Fuel economy is recorded as 27.7mpg on the European standard ‘combined cycle’ average, but drivers in the real world should expect around 20.