IN true April Fool’s Day fashion, Japanese car makers Toyota and Lexus have thrown the rule books out the window with the reveal of PieAce, a topless pie van, and EnPaw, the chauffeur and accommodation service for dogs.
First, we give you Toyota’s media release:
Toyota Australia has revealed the world’s first HiAce Convertible will be sold exclusively Down Under when the new HiAce van range, the first in 15 years, goes on sale next month.
To commemorate the year of HiAce’s return, a limited run of just 2,019 of the all-new HiAce Convertible will be made especially for the Australian market.
The soft-top convertible option will be available across the entire new HiAce van range, including the two-seat long wheel base (LWB) and super-long wheelbase (SLWB) configurations, as well as the five-seat LWB crew vans and 12-seat SLWB Commuter buses.
Toyota Australia’s Head of Public Affairs Brodie Bott said the HiAce Convertible combines the quality, durability, reliability and practicality Australians have come to expect of HiAce with a Z-fold roof that allows for year-round fun.
“There’s no denying the HiAce has been a popular choice for tradespeople and couriers alike, and now with the HiAce Convertible, we expect it will be even more popular with more people,” Mr Bott said.
“Not only is it a vehicle that can navigate busy city streets and get you from A-to-B in comfort and safety, it also gives you the freedom to open up the roof and head down the coast for a weekend getaway.
“With its muscular lines, the new HiAce Convertible looks the part, too.
“The ground-breaking shape of the new HiAce, with its semi-bonnet and stiffer frame, lends itself perfectly to a convertible design while maintaining rigorous safety standards,” he said.
In another Australian first, Toyota Australia has also revealed the new HiAce Convertible will come with an optional extra built-in pie oven, called ‘PieAce’, disguised neatly behind the rear tailgate.
The PieAce includes a fan-forced oven and grill with four cooking racks and reaches a top temperature of 250 degrees Celsius.
Mr Bott said the PieAce made smoko a breeze.
“The PieAce brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘meals on wheels’. This oven is innovation at its finest. Our customers know that we are always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and the PieAce is taking the HiAce Convertible to the next level,” he said.
“The PieAce allows busy tradespeople and couriers, who are often on the road all day to nourish their bodies with a hearty Aussie favourite, the meat pie.
“It works a lot like a slow cooker. All you do is pop an uncooked pie or sausage roll in the PieAce, set it to the desired temperature using the buttons on the steering wheel, and away you go.
“An alarm on the dash lets the driver know when the pie is cooked and ready to eat. When it’s safe to do so, the driver can bring the HiAce to a complete stop to open up the rear tailgate to access the retractable PieAce.”
Pricing for the HiAce Convertible, with optional PieAce pie oven, will be revealed at the new model HiAce van range launch next month.
As for Lexus. They’ve unleashed EnPaw and the media release is so good. Here it is:
Lexus Australia has extended its class-leading Encore ownership programme to accommodate a special cohort of passengers doggedly ignored by rival brands.
Enpaw, a new chauffeur and accommodation service available on all Lexus models, allows four-legged canine friends to indulge in the finest four-wheel luxury by transferring them to a luxury boarding kennel when their owners take a holiday.
With owners experiencing the unrivalled benefits of Encore, allowing them to take advantage of exclusive restaurant and accommodation offers, dogs will finally be let off the leash to enjoy the same level of Lexus-luxury lifestyle courtesy of Enpaw.
While humans are indulging in the sonorous engine bark of their favourite Lexus, our expert pet chauffeur may ask if your canine partner cares to listen to baroque composer Bach via the 13-speaker Mark Levinson audio of a new UX Sports Luxury.
Highly trained and able to detect any canine mood, intuitively designed Enpaw may alternatively offer quiet “paws” for thought in the plush 22-way electrically adjustable rear-seat surroundings of the LS Sports Luxury.
Whether accommodated in our premium compact SUV, flagship sedan, or perhaps the popular NX or LX four-wheel drive for the ultimate big-dog Rockstar weekend, Enpaw ensures that dogs experience amazing from journey through to destination.
Unforgettable experiences await, including play in manicured gardens that every dog will dig, the relief of trigger-point massages – especially hitting the spot of Dalmations who have had a “ruff” day – plus in-room tasty treats tailored to every Good Boy.
Whether pure bred, or a hybrid breed, dogs of any pedigree are warmly welcomed into our family courtesy of our new ownership service.
Launched today, it has the competition licked.
Enpaw. Where dogs Experience Amazing.
It’s good isn’t it. We told you so. In other April Fool’s Day action, Penrite Racing’s David Reynolds has driven his ZB Commodore race car across Bass Straight. Meanwhile, Hyundai’s N Performance division revealed their own ‘sexy’ convertible:
As other cool bits emerge, we’ll update this story.
