So I'm home sick & catching up on my waaaay too many auto mags, and I jumped to HS&E April 2011 at page 36-37 to read about the "Projektzitronen-Vorwartsblick" article on the supposed 1950's abandoned BMW project.

Somebody has really pulled one over on those guys, and I'd be surprised if others having read it sooner than I got to it, haven't already blown the whistle.

I mean really - I looked at the photos of the so-called long lost 1950's BMW and immediately saw the roof line, fender lines, alloy wheels and side mirrors at the A-pillars, rear window & rear face (it even looks as though they just painted over the taillights), etc. of my 1985 BMW E30 325e coupe - albeit this "project" was made-up from a 4 door E30.

FYI - I've attached some pix of my 85 325e so you can compare the basis for this "secret long lost project"!

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Does "Vorwartsblick" mean "Punked" in German, or something similar? Do I hear a retraction coming?

This one really gave me a good laugh when I needed it! Otherwise, HS&E is a really great auto mag which I enjoy reading, and usually stays on top of the pile until I get around to them.

Cheers!
Tom
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I can't put their article's pix on here due to copyright laws, but here's a pic of someone else's 318 4 door, so you can clearly see the lines in the pix of "project farce" in HS&E -

Click to view attachment

.... Now where did I leave those tail fins, fake foam bumpers, Chrysler knock-off hood & miscellaneous 50's & 60's auto parts!?

PS - I'm really surprised that nobody at the exalted Hemmings caught this before it went to press, or am I just imagining what I see of reworked 80's E30?

I emailed their Editor before doing this, so I guess I'll find out if I'm seeing things or having a serious half-zymers attack!

It is the APRIL edition right?

No - apparently it's an April Fools joke too early & too undisclosed IMHO.
... magazines are issued a month early, and it ain't 4/1 yet! Punch-Punch if you do it on the wrong day when I was a kid!

I later had time to go to the link at the end of the article, then had to fish through the various pages of the website before I found an article by this LeMons Team that it was in fact a prank. see: www.prickstine.com

It was funny, but should've been disclosed as such at the end of the article at least.

I find this approach troubling for 2 reasons:

1. If a respected publication is going to do a prank article, then the disclosure should be at the end of the article that it was in fact all for fun!
- not directing the reader to some obscure website, then they have to look through that to find the info. (which I almost left after seeing the home page alone identifying it as LeMons conversion" of an 87 E30)), since the disclosure was in fact buried within their blogs.

What surer way to kill off already dying print journalism, than to redirect your readers to an e-media for the true story, rather than for additive info.!

2. Because this LeMons Team member knew the editorial staff & wangled this farce, they get an unfair national & international free advertisement, which is highly unfair to other LeMons competitors - including our own Lotus Joe in Irvine CA on here.

- I say LeMons should disqualify these pricksters .... err pranksters .... for having an unfair competitive advantage & completely flaunting the letter & spirit of the LeMons rules! I mean really - a feature article in the premier sports & exotic car magazine couldn't be more mainstream - the exact antithesis of LeMons!

But seriously, these guys will probably now get all sorts of "freebies" outside of their $2500 limit (or whatever it is), which will skirt those rules.

IMHO it would've been fairer & more truthful to direct readers to a page at the main LeMons website showing pix of their "racer" with a disclosure (& one at the print article itself) & inviting folks to see ALL of the competitors & maybe donate to an overall fund for running their LeMons events (which can't be cheap to put them on, with insurance, track rental, porta-potties, etc.).

JM2C