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BMW i3 gets tuner treatment from Eve.Ryn

The BMW i3, especially when wearing its Capparis White paint job, already looks a bit like some sort of futuristic escape pod launched to Earth from a spaceship. It was only a matter of time until the electric car got touched by the eager hands of a tuner to make it even more eye-popping. It is, after all, a BMW. Japanese tuner Garage Eve.Ryn appears to be the first to give the i3 the inevitable once over. The result is a much more aggressive-looking EV, called the i3 EVO. We say aggressive-looking, because we have no information to suggest that the makeover was anything but cosmetic. The i3 EVO has slightly exaggerated fender flares, which stand out with their strips of carbon fiber along the edge. The redesigned front bumper looks like it could have been fashioned out of Star Wars stormtrooper armor, complete with fake air intakes and, of course, a helping of carbon. The rear end gets a diffuser, too. The large wheels feature blue accents, which help to highlight the Ice Blue bits already on the vehicle. For a closer look, check out the i3 EVO photos in the gallery and there are more like it on Eve.Ryn's Facebook page, in galleries here, here and here, as well as a more recent set of images showing the car emblazoned with Energy Motor Sport (a company that appears closely related to Eve.Ryn, on the distribution end) decals on the sides. There's no telling what the body kit does for the aerodynamics of the car, but it would be interesting to find out what effect Eve.Ryn's handiwork has on the i3's range. Either way, this surely won't be the last time a tuner finds a way to reimagine the BMW i3, so, love it or hate it, you might as well get used to it.

April Fools' Day brings Jeep Sedan, Hyundai N Roadster, Toyota Yaris pickup and more

There is one day out of the year when public relations professionals have permission to lie to journalists and to the public: April Fools' Day. Manufacturers release details about wild, weird and wacky new technology, concept vehicles and services. Some take it to obvious outlandish extremes (Jeep Sedan anybody?), while others plot to mislead with products that are just outside the realm of possibility. Check out all the "jokes" below. BMW Motorrad BMW doesn't want to exclude anybody from experiencing the thrill of high-level racing, so it is introducing 'iRace" autonomous programming on its S 1000 RR sport bike. It includes beginner, sportsman, advanced and unlimited driving modes, and stores GPS information for all Superbike world championship tracks. Hyundai Hyundai is wrong for this. The Hyundai N Roadster is the work of South Korean designer Yeonjoon Park and features a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, rear-wheel drive and a hard convertible top. Hyundai says this is a "concept (for now)," but we think it'd make a seriously great Mazda Miata competitor. Honda Honda wins the award for the best interactive gimmick, as its press release for the '90s-inspired special-edition Pastport includes a live hotline number with a message from Fred Savage. Call 1-833-PASTPORT for more information. Jeep Put the Jeep Cherokee face on the Chrysler 300's body, and voila! The 2019 Jeep Sedan is born. We can't decide if the name or the rendering is better. Land Rover Accessibility to charging ports is of major concern to anybody with a plug-in vehicle. So, with the recent launch of the Range Rover P400e and Range Rover Sport P400e, Land Rover is putting forth an effort to install more stations around the globe. First up is Scotland's Isle of Skye. Adventurers need juice too! Lexus Australia Lexus expands its Encore service to include doggos. The new service, called Enpaw, will take pups to luxury boarding kennels in style. Toyota U.S. Toyota created the Yaris Adventure pickup for "those who want to tell their friends they own a truck but never veer off pavement." It's part Mazda 2, part RAV4, 100 percent ute and it looks ... great? Creating a new segment might be all fun and games to Toyota, but Ford is reportedly considering a Focus-based ute in a similar, albeit larger, style. Toyota Australia Toyota is launching a new HiAce van, and it's already getting a limited-edition variant called the PieAce.

BMW eyes Z4 replacement before 2020

As BMW has been busy building four-door versions of two-door versions of four-door cars, less useful crossovers and front-drive minivans, you could be forgiven for thinking it had given up on its aging Z4 roadster. But that, we're pleased to report, isn't the case. According to Automotive News, BMW is hoping to release the next-generation Z4 (if that's what it ends up being called) before the close of this decade. The news outlet spoke to the company's chief engineer, Klaus Frohlich, at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, who indicated that BMW may split costs on the new car with Toyota, as part of the partnership between the two automakers. This partnership is integral to the next-gen Z4, largely because of the declining importance of the roadster segment, Herr Frohlich indicated. "If you look at the volume... we have to realize that these segments are shrinking," Frohlich told AN. According to the publication, sales of the Z4, which hit the market in its current form back in 2009, dropped 11 percent in Europe and 13 percent in North America. The car also is less attractive to customers in China for a number of reasons. "[Chinese customers] are not interested in roadsters," Frohlich explained. That's because privacy is a high priority for drivers in China, AN said. On top of that, open-roof cars expose their customers to China's notorious air pollution, which drivers are understandably keen to avoid. Related Video: