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April Fools’ Day invites an expected level of tomfoolery. From your friends pulling that “oldie-but-a-goody” loosened salt shaker gag on you to automakers launching their shocking “news,” it’s a day for silliness. Sometimes, automakers like Tesla will ditch the seriousness and pull a good old-fashioned April Fools’ prank on the car-buying public.   

From supercharged minivans to tiny pickup trucks, automakers can loosen up and pull April Fools’ pranks on the public

Just because your favorite automaker announced a crazy new vehicle doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check the date. Automakers have a history of pulling April Fools’ pranks on car buyers. Here are a few of our favorite April 1st pranks played by car brands over the years. 

  • The Chrysler Pacifica Hellcat
  • Volkswagen’s new name: “Voltswagen”
  • Tesla’s “Ticket Avoidance Mode”
  • The Toyota Yaris Adventure

Dodge and past parent company FCA have put the shrieking, supercharged 6.2L Hellcat V8 into several machines. Frankly, a 710-horsepower Dodge Durango seems like an April Fools’ Day prank in itself. However, FCA also teased a Hellcat-powered Chrysler Pacifica. Wild, I know. Better yet, years after the silly prank, SpeedKore decided the hilarity needed manifestation. They built a carbon fiber-bodied, Hellcat-powered Pacifica. You’ll never be late for soccer practice again. 

In an April Fools' Day prank, car maker Volkswagen announced it would change its name to 'Voltswagen'.
The new ‘Voltswagen’ brand | Volkswagen Group

Better yet, sometimes pranks land too well and cause serious confusion. Such was the case of Volkswagen’s 2021 announcement to rename their U.S. operations “Voltswagen.” Given the 2021 industry push for electrification, it’s understandable that some of the brand’s fans would scratch their heads. Well, sort of. 

Tesla has a history of joking with would-be car buyers. For instance, Elon Musk announced in a 2018 tweet that the company was going bankrupt after a “last-ditch mass sale of Easter Eggs.” Funny stuff. But our favorite resides in a 2015 video about the Tesla Model S’s new “Ticket Avoidance Mode.” Check out the video below!

Finally, on April 1, 2019, Toyota released images of a pickup truck-ized Toyota Yaris. The Japanese automaker presented the “Toyota Yaris Adventure” as a subcompact pickup truck with a 103-horsepower 1.5L inline-four-cylinder engine. Furthermore, beyond the utter silliness of the tiny truck, fans on Reddit insist they would buy the wee pickup. The ball’s in your court now, Toyota.

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).