April Fools’ Day highlights: The best of 2022

As is now tradition for the first day of April, our social media feeds – and even some news sources – were overtaken by a slew of pranks from companies and individuals across the globe.

The automotive industry is not exempt from April Fool’s Day, with many carmakers and motoring companies using the occasion to have a bit of fun with a widespread audience.

Below is our list of some of the best jokes offered by the motoring sector on April 1, 2022.

Caterham Seven-SES

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Driving a race car can be a gruelling task, potentially leaving drivers feeling a little peckish.

UK-based sportscar manufacturer Caterham has launched a new division to solve the hunger problem.

‘Cater-ham Sevenses’ consists of the “classic British combination of ham and cheddar” to assist in keeping the adult human body fuelled for 24 hours straight. However, self-assembly is required before consumption – although the marque insists just three ingredients are needed, rather than the 870-plus individual parts required for its kit cars.

“Though 2021 saw record car sales for Caterham, we felt that there was still un-tapped potential left in the business,” said Caterham’s chief commercial officer, David Ridley.

“The launch of Cater-ham has been a long time coming.”

Honda Pet Co-Pilot Front Seat

Honda UK is appealing to dog (and cat) owners with the unveiling of the innovative ‘Pet Co-Pilot Front Seat’.

The updated front seat includes; two integrated spill-proof metal bowls for food and water, a kibble dispenser, integrated air-conditioning vents, a Honda-branded harness, a built-in squeaker, and durable upholstery.

“From driving across the UK and Europe for holidays, to short trips to the shops or a day out, the Pet Co-Pilot Front Seat allows owners to be closer to their beloved pet when driving. It also frees up boot space,” said Annie Mal (read that aloud…), head of pet products at Honda.

Hyundai i30 Sedan N goes RWD…

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Hyundai announced a new ‘RWD part’ for the i30 Sedan N, promising the ability to transform the hot sedan into an AWD powerhouse with the choice between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive.

While the company has no plans to launch the accessory, similar kits could be offered in the future as the industry moves towards electric vehicles.

Isuzu D-Max Street

The strict emissions standards and tight roads across Europe has sparked the imagination of Isuzu UK, with the subsidiary announcing the tiny D-Max Street.

Available exclusively to 12:00pm on April 1, Isuzu engineers downsized the current-generation D-Max wheelbase to make the small ute “perfect for the tight and narrow city confines”.

The company has the D-Max Street has an “impressively tight turning circle”, although its super low ride height means off-road action is off-the-table – with the large 18-inch alloy wheels likely to provide headaches even on the slightest indentations.

MG Carfume

MG has introduced a new scent for its electric vehicle owners in the UK, dubbed MG Carfume.

Developed for “the electric driver that wants to smell expensive”, the perfume includes hints of the exhaust fumes emitted by an internal-combustion engine to appeal to EV drivers who enjoy “the smell of CO2 emission in the morning”.

Subaru Solterra photoluminescent limited-edition

Subaru has unveiled the world’s first glow-in-the-dark electric SUV.

The launch of the limited-edition Subaru Solterra photoluminescent is said to be ‘later this year’, perhaps fooling a greater audience than some of 2022’s other efforts.

While glowing paint is unlikely to make production in the foreseeable future, BMW unveiled a colour-changing version of its iX electric SUV at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. No joke.

The BMW iX Flow concept utilises an electrophoretic film containing microcapsules to change its appearance between black and white with just a single touch.

WA Police Force Getz a new fleet

Months after announcing a trio of new police vehicles, the Western Australia Police Force has unveiled the latest, slightly-used addition to the range.

Perfect for inner-city duties, the Hyundai Getz has been recruited by the force to “navigate laneways and tight spaces to help [WA Police Force] Getz the criminals”.

The new police vehicle is fitted with Motorola Razr compatibility and includes the So Fresh: The Hits of Summer 2004 CD as standard.

Walkinshaw: Volkswagen Amarok W580X HI-VIS

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Capitalising on the success of the Volkswagen Amarok W580X, Walkinshaw Performance – which transforms a standard Amarok V6 into the W580 package locally – unveiled a new ’HI-VIS’ option.

Priced from just $49.99 for a ‘limited time only’, the Amarok W580X HI-VIS includes; roof lights, reflective decals, a light bar, a standard bollard, and ‘performance’ steel wheels.