The traditional April Fools joke is a major event across most consumer brands these days and the motor industry is no different with some serious attempts at humour.
It’s a yearly event that is not to be forgotten for the PR and Marketing teams of the major motoring brands, though perhaps some of the launches and innovations might not seem too far fetched in years to come?
BMW for example chose to lead with their ‘Sun Down, Charge Up’ slogan which was in reference to a new ‘revolutionary photvoltaic technology’ which featured ‘lunar paint’ which allowed the i3 and i8 electric cars to charge overnight.
Perhaps it’s a sign of the times, but charging was a popular prank for the car industry, Land Rover’s attempt at humour saw them showcasing the UK’s ‘most remote charging point’, located on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Aimed at those who needed to charge their batteries on a trek across the island, the fast-charging point was actually 15 miles from the nearest road, but Max Watts, Land Rover’s head of vehicle charging said that company: “ohm-mitted nothing in [its] quest to ensure that eco-minded Land Rover owners are able to adventure in zero emissions comfort”.
Kia promised us a new touch-screen based car navigation system which mimicked mobile phone technology so that you could ‘scroll’ up and down the gears, operate the horn through a double-tap and change direction with a flick of the finger. The ‘Automotive Premonition Research Institute Limited’s new Finger Operated Optimum Lever.
Our favourite April Fool PR jape though came from MG and their professor of pigment, Dr Gull Abel, who claimed that their 3 hatchback would leave a trail of colour behind with dye-coated tyres.
“With these fantastic tyres, we're taking personalisation to a whole new level and allowing customers to show their true colours,” said MG’s professor.