It’s unusual, but not unheard of, for the New York Auto Show and April Fool’s Day to fall in the same week, but this quirk of the calendar made for a tumultuous and rapid-fire start to the week. Fortunately, the Voltswagen fiasco was far enough removed from 4/1 that we’ve recovered enough to appreciate some light-hearted, not-so-tone-deaf foolery. We’ll keep this updated throughout the day with the more-memorable highlights.
Porsche’s Patina Paint To Sample program
“The future of individuality is truly here,” Porsche says. Indeed, as this riff on the company’s Exclusive Manufaktur options allows you to hit fast-forward on your car’s aging process before it even leaves the factory. Paint To Patina lets you order a new car painted in the same shade of rust as the 911s you ostensibly have strewn about your country estate in various states of neglect. This gives us serious euro scene vibes circa 2007, and we’re absolutely here for it.
Škoda’s ‘In Tune’ infotainment add-on
Škoda offers a solution to your disastrous in-car sing-alongs. “In Tune” will let you go full Kanye on your favorite road trip tracks, auto-tuning your voice in real time and even offering you the opportunity to record tracks so you can lay down your own mix and share it with friends. Frankly, Skoda’s entire press release is gold. Check out this quote from company “Chief Audio Officer” Carrie O’Key:
“The UK’s ongoing lockdown situation is straining families and friendships, and with the prospect of kids back at home for the Easter holidays tensions are likely to run high. We know music is good for the soul but caterwauling certainly is not. This software will hopefully add some much-needed light-hearted fun to every essential car journey.”
Dodge’s Do Not Disturb mode
We finally listened to your neighbors. Introducing the all-new SRT(R) Do Not Disturb Mode. No more noise complaints.#AprilFools pic.twitter.com/WDHySoe790
— Dodge (@Dodge) April 1, 2021
This riff on Ford’s “Good Neighbor” exhaust mode is pretty straightforward, but earned a quick chuckle.
The Dacia DUSTAR space program
Dacia decided to go extra silly, announcing “the world’s first (and only) affordable space programme.” Here it, straight from Noel Armstrong, “Head of DUSTAR Operations:”
“We are all about delivering best-value-for-money without compromising on quality. We have achieved this on Earth, so launching a car into space is the obvious next step! Going to space is a dream for many, but we want to show that you can make a little go a long way and make it a reality. I’m over the moon that we begin by sending our rugged and robust Dacia Duster to seriously new heights today.”
Alfa Romeo’s Nuova Luce filter windows
Is your commute ugly? Alfa has your back, offering a series of custom window filters that will literally brighten your day. “Nuova Luce” literally translates to “New Light,” as in the way you’ll see your world when you drive a new Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The filter options include “Roma” (sunset), “Milano” (high noon), “Torino” (peach), “Como” (sunlit water) and “Cinque Terre” (bright Mediterranean coast).
“Nuova Luce® is an evolution of the widely available auto-dimming mirror technology,” said Alfa “Head of Ambient Lighting” Phil Terre. “We know people up and down the country are desperate to go overseas. We’re hopeful that while it’s no replacement for the real thing, this world-first technology brings a taste of Italy to the UK for Stelvio drivers.”