'Mullet Amnesty Day' no joke

Holden’s ‘Mullet Amnesty Day’ on April 1 was no joke for West Aucklander Daniel McNicholl, who won a brand-new Holden Astra in exchange for sacrificing his mullet. McNicholl was the only one to try his luck at West City Holden on Saturday, where he was greeted by race car driver Greg Murphy and a hairstylist. “I thought it was probably a joke,” McNicholl said. “I decided to turn up in case it wasn’t, and I’m bloody glad I did.” A suspicious McNicholl refused to believe it wasn’t a prank until Murphy gave him the keys to the Astra, bearing the numberplate 0MULET. The new car is a welcome relief for McNicholl and his partner, after their previous car, which was uninsured, was stolen. McNicholl’s suspicion is unsurprising, given the long history of car makers pulling elaborate April Fool’s Day pranks to boost brand awareness and generate online interest. This year was no exception, with McLaren, BMW, Hyundai and Lexus, among others, releasing outrageous ‘new’ products over the weekend. McLaren announced the ‘Feathered Body Wrap’ option for its 570GT model on Saturday, promising the finish weighed as much as coat of paint and was aerodynamically optimised to reduce drag. Hyundai’s ‘Click to Fly’ service featured a drone that would deliver vehicles ordered online directly to the customer’s door via hydrogen-powered drone capable of carrying up to 2000kg. The Lexus Lane Valet software, which was showcased in a convincing promotional virtually indistinguishable from its regular advertisements, claims to communicate with vehicles driving too slowly on the road and safely directs them to the appropriate lane, allowing the Lexus to pass.