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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.

2018 Lexus LS has a livelier look and new twin-turbo V6

When considering that the Lexus LC 500 made it to production virtually unchanged from concept form, it was reasonable to think that the LS would similarly follow suit. Especially when the LS shares the LC's GA-L platform. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out that way. It is possible to spot cues inspired by the LF-FC concept, such as the lower contour of the windows, the crease in the metal leading up to the rear wheel, and of course the lights and spindle grille. But they're overshadowed by the fact that this LS has a significant amount more girth. View 14 Photos Just because it doesn't live up to the concept doesn't mean it's a bad looking car. It's far more interesting to look at than the dated, upright LS currently on dealer lots. It also sits quite low and the wheels and tires fill the wells nicely, which gives it a road-hugging stance. There are some nifty design details, too, such as the glass that is completely flush with the pillars. View 28 Photos As already mentioned, the new body is wrapped around a stretched version of the LC's platform, and it also uses its 10-speed automatic. Surprisingly, though, the LS doesn't use the LC's powertrain. Under the hood is a completely new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out 415 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. That puts it down on power, but ahead in torque compared with the LC's V8. It's also significantly more than the previous LS' V8, and Lexus predicts it will be capable of a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds with rear-wheel drive. A Lexus PR representative also said the LS is only being released with the V6. We doubt it would be hard to drop one in later though if Lexus saw demand. Inside, the LS is more interesting than the outside would suggest. The dash is clearly inspired by the LC 500, utilizing a similar gauge pod with traction control and drive mode selectors protruding from each side. The dash is also dominated by a wide, dark section that houses the 12.3-inch infotainment display. Just below that, is an attractive strip of slats that follow the contours of the dash and house the air vents. Back seat passengers also will have a pleasant environment thanks to the fact that the LS will only be available in a long wheelbase form, so leg room will never be in short supply. They also will have access to available reclining seats, ottoman, and Shiatsu massage functionality. According to a spokesman, the Japanese-style of massage function is a first for the LS.

TMG's super Lexus LS Sports 650 gets track tested

The people at Toyota Motorsport GmbH have been responsible for the Japanese automaker's motorsports efforts since the 1970s, but since Toyota pulled out of Formula One after the 2009 season, the tuning shop has been developing a super sedan based on the Lexus LS called the Sports 650. Details on TMG's first road car have been scarce, but XCAR was recently invited to drive the 641-horsepower Lexus on track.
Here's what we know: the Sports 650 has enough power to sprint to 60 miles per hour in under four seconds, tops out at 199 mph, weighs over two tons and utilizes LFA brakes. Oh, and its twin-turbo V8 bellows like an AMG V8. That last part isn't surprising when considering TMG could become Toyota's in-house tuning arm - like AMG is to Mercedes-Benz. As for the bespoke body kit, fender flares and stacked exhaust pipes? They fit the car well and even remind us a bit of Lexus' other high-performance sedan, the IS F. Currently there are no plans for the Sports 650 to be made into a production car, but we doubt TMG is devoting this much effort developing the LS into a road-rocket for nothing.
Check out XCAR's video below to see the AMG-fighter wrung out on track, and then ponder what could be if TMG were let loose to fiddle with other cars in Lexus' lineup. Now that's something we could get used to!