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Automotive April Fools' joke roundup [w/videos]

Happy April, everyone. And we all know what this first day of the month means: April Fools' Day. Today is a national holiday for pranksters with the Internet acting as a serious enabler, and it's always fun to see what kind of vivid imaginations exist out there in the automotive world. The abundance of fake news gets a little old as the day rolls on, but we did manage to get in a few chuckles thanks to a handful of major automakers and automotive news outlets that got into the pranking spirit this year
Some of our favorites this year includes Subaru showing what happens when you combine a bunch of rumors, a Corvette some may have already thought was a joke or Honda providing some in-car innovation circa the late 1980s. Honestly, we're still waiting for official confirmation from Mitsubishi that the recently introduced 2014 Mirage is an elaborate April Fools' joke using a failed design intended for the 1995 Geo Metro. We dug up as much "official" OEM foolishness we could find, as well as some of our other favorites, and posted them all below.

Subaru Forester named Motor Trend 2014 SUV of the Year [w/video]

Each year, Motor Trend hands out its coveted Golden Calipers to its Car, Truck and SUV of the Year, and in the latter category, this year's bragging rights belong to the redesigned Subaru Forester. In the 14-year history of the SUV award category, Subaru is the only automaker to win three times (2009, 2010 and 2014) and the Forester is the only model to make a return appearance having also won the award back in 2009. In the last six years, this award has either gone to a Subaru or to a luxury crossover/SUV (Mercedes GL-Class in 2013, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque in 2012 and Porsche Cayenne in 2011).
Out of the 13 new or updated crossovers and SUVs in contention for the award, the 2014 Forester came out on top thanks its value, fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive attitude. Rather than a head-to-head battle, the utility vehicles are all judged on six criteria (design, engineering, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function). Other vehicles on the consideration list included the Acura MDX, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Toyota RAV4.
Scroll down for a video report from Motor Trend as well as a press release from Subaru.

Subaru Impreza Sedan Concept previews future four-door in LA

Subaru previewed the next-generation Impreza hatchback at last month's Tokyo Motor Show, and now the appropriately named Impreza Sedan Concept displays how that concept looks in four-door form. Like the five-door, Subie says the styling elements on display here point towards the company's future design direction, not to mention the next-generation Impreza sedan that'll arrive late next year. Other than some darkened trim and slight tweaks to the lower air dam, the sedan and hatch concepts are essentially identical forward of the B-pillar. They even feature the same scalloped character line down the sides. The rear shape echoes the front's angular styling and also shares the five-door's C-shaped taillights. The Impreza Sedan Concept shares a similar footprint as the 2015 Impreza four-door. The wheelbase grows by an inch, to 105.1. However, overall length drops by about the same amount to 179.3 inches. Spy shots already show the 2017 Impreza sedan testing in heavy camouflage, and rumors suggest that it rides on the company's upcoming modular platform. A direct-injected boxer engine is reportedly under the hood, as well. Scroll down for more details in Subie's press blast. Subaru "Impreza Sedan Concept" Makes World Debut at 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show Tokyo, November 19, 2015 – Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the manufacturer of Subaru automobiles, today unveiled the "Impreza Sedan Concept" at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Impreza Sedan Concept is a design concept car previewing the next-generation Impreza which is to be the first one of Subaru's next-generation strategic vehicles envisioned in FHI's Mid-Term Management Vision "Prominence 2020" announced in May 2014. While positioned as an entry model in the Subaru lineup, its compact body features a blend of bold expressions of Subaru's Dynamic & Solid design elements and a quality feel beyond its class - hinting at the design direction not only of the new Impreza but of Subaru's future models as a whole. Main Features of Impreza Sedan Concept The front, sides, and rear are seamlessly joined in the Dynamic & Solid surface structure, creating a three-dimensional and solid body that is a feature of Subaru styling. The dynamism is enhanced by well-placed character lines on the compact sedan style. The design expression of "Enjoyment and Peace of Mind", the value that Subaru provides to its customers, is fully pursued within the limits of the C-segment body size.