Automakers have fun with April Foolin'
We love a good joke. And, it's always nice to see that automakers can have a sense of humor, too.
Every year, I look forward to April 1 to see what silly things automakers will fool consumers with. Last year, for example, I loved the Honda HR-V Selfie Edition. I'm sure there was someone who thought that was real. Especially since it was a well-planned joke complete with a YouTube video, press release and microsite.
This year, the usual pranksters return to the field with some funny tweets and jokes.
Here's a roundup of the 2016 April Fools' pranks from automakers:
Ram ProMaster City Concept: From the pictures that Ram is showing on Twitter, this cargo van looks better suited to an autocross than urban delivery terrain. Though, we have to say this isn't as far fetched as it may appear. During the launch of the Ram ProMaster City, we actually saw a product specialist run the cargo van through an obstacle coarse like a it was an autocross.
Fiat 5000: We get that Fiat USA is trying to show that it's more than a micro car. On the heels of a successful 500X launch, the Fiat 5000 continues with the "size matters" theme. While this is #NotReal, we actually think this would be a fun idea for Girl's Night Out!
Porsche Eau d'Essence: We haven't seen Porsche on the April Fool's scene before, so we think this is an interesting first go. I mean, who doesn't want to smell like motor oil and tire rubber after a shower? Funny thing is, some of the fans are playing along stating that they're "intrigued" or that it better smell like synthetic oil or they aren't interested. Personally, we just think the bottle is kind of cool.
Nissan NV Cargo Van Drift: While this isn't a joke Nissan is playing on consumers, it's still kind of fun to watch. Chris Forsberg, a Formula Drift icon, thinks he's going to be playing with a 370Z and gets punked by Nissan with a cargo van. He makes the most of the situation, and the video is cool to watch.
Kia Soul Pizzazz Edition: More silly than serious, Kia had a late addition to the #AprilFools tweets with a polk-a-dot covered Soul. In our head all whenever we hear -- or even think -- the word "pizzazz" it's in Christopher Walken's voice. And we might just see the beige sock get devoured by one in polk-a-dots.
Lexus V-LCRO Technology: This video starts out all serious, and you think this might actually be a new product. I mean, the whole stick-to-your-seat thing does make sense if you make it a habit to drive aggressively. But, you know it's a joke when you see the special "suit" you have to wear for the V-LCRO to work. Our question: Once you get in the seat, um, how do you get out?
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Contact List: This one is more of an inside joke because you have to be a registered media member in order to see it. But we wanted to share it anyway because it shows a true sense of humor. Every single contact on the site -- and there has to be more than 50 of them -- gets a muppet avatar for the day. You'll see everyone from Kermit all the way to the Cookie Monster. This one has to be our fave for 2016.
Looking for more laughs? Be sure to check out last year's roundup.
Did we miss a joke for 2016? Be sure to tweet us at @automatters.
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