Top 5 Carmakers' April Fool's Jokes

Volvo relied on its reputation for safety features to prank readers by announcing the world's first "external car-enveloping airbag." In case you thought Volvo couldn't fit any more airbags inside their cars, this one is fitted to the outside. The press release reveals that the External Vehicle Protection system - depicted as deployed on the new V40 sportwagon - is made up of a small container built into the car's roof containing a folded-in, vacuum-pulled balloon that instantly unfolds to envelope the car in the case of an unavoidable collision.

斯巴鲁's joke was the most obvious of them all. Dubiously "confirming" an all-wheel-drive, twin-turbo diesel hybrid BRZ two-seat convertible, Subaru took all the rumors surrounding its sporty coupe and combined them in one fell swoop. The fantasy car doesn't come with a rear back-up camera as there simply wasn't any room for more instruments after cramming two convertible switches onto the fascia. Available only in "noseeum black", the diesel hybrid BRZ will be hand-built at Subaru's Brigadoon facility. Or at least it would be, if Subaru were to actually build it.

Inspired by Aston Martin's $3,000 baby stroller, BMW launched a limited-edition P.R.A.M. – a Postnatal Royal Auto Mobile, aimed squarely at the soon-to-be parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as other expectant members of high society. According to the official press release, the BMW stroller comes with a Nurse-Assisting Petrol Powered Injection Engine (N.A.P.P.I.E), active aerodynamics, and low rolling-resistance tires. The carmaker insists it is ideal for those "too posh to push," and is available in Princess Pink and Royal Blue while featuring a/c and a paparazzi-proof hood.

最后,我们注意到厨房必备的计算机迷访问ssory by Nissan. On its Facebook page the Japanese carmaker revealed a Nissan Sandwich Toast-R, which "blasts sandwiches from 0-to-grilled in 2.9 seconds." That, said the Godzilla creators, makes it the highest-performance toaster in the world. (The non-existent development, of course, follows the creation of the actual Juke-R, which packs the GT-R's powertrain into the smaller crossover.) For those in a rush for a melted cheese-and-ham sandwich, this is the ultimate cooking utensil. Shame it doesn't actually exist.