Were you April fooled?

I know that it’s the day after April 1st, but I just wondered whether you were fed up with all the car company japery? 

Several days ago I had some embargoed press releases which made me feel a bit world-weary. I seem to remember that one was about an electric Allegro and China or something. Mind you BL managed to make just about every single day an April 1st with their less than amusing products throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s. 

However, one company always did April fool’s brilliantly. BMW UK, employed an advertising agency that had one, WCRS, or Wright Collins Rutherford Scott.

Yes, for my sins, I used to work in the advertising industry adding yet another hated professional to my CV, which includes car salesman, merchant banker and journalist. Actually, when I was a car salesman it was BMW's peerless April 1st ads that put me on the frontline dealing with members of public who had been duped.

I took phone calls from customers who really did want to tick the option box for the left hand drive steering wheel from the glove box and the mini wiper fitted to the BMW roundel. I must say that letting them down gently was an art. You really didn’t want to make them feel too silly. On the whole they took it in good spirit and no one got indignant and upset. It was a very British jape.

These days though isn’t it all a bit tired? Shouldn’t we have a few years off? Or perhaps it does show that we have a sense of humour in this country.

So do you like to laugh with your motors?