2004 Lexus Ls430 Base Sedan 4-door 4.3l on 2040-cars

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Here are this year's top 5 automaker April Fools’ jokes

April 1 is the wonderful day when PR departments really push themselves to top the zany jokes they came up with the previous year. And it's not just fast-food chains competing with each other, or breweries announcing they have released stuff like a fermented herring flavored beer: carmakers' media teams rarely miss out on the opportunity to play a little joke on their audience. Here are a few of our favorites from this year:1) Porsche Porsche announced that it's launching a Mission E tractor, styled to resemble its 1950s tractor models. "With a power output in excess of 700hp, the Mission E Tractor will be the fastest accelerating agricultural vehicle in the world, enabling farmers to harvest crops in record time with the added environmental benefits of zero emissions at source and significantly reduced operating noise."2) Lexus Lexus actually jumped the gun, telling us on March 28 that it's combining cars and drivers using DNA matching. The kicker was that with DNA-matched cars, owners would be able to start their Lexuses by licking the steering wheel.3) McLaren Automotive McLaren said it's boosting efficiency by quite eccentric measures, such as measuring the technology center's lake and floor tiles daily, and by synchronizing the staff's tea breaks.4) BMW Motorrad BMW's motorcycle arm is solving parts availability issues in remote locations by offering a 3D printer mounted permanently on the bike's rack: If you need to replace a broken-off gear lever, you can just print one. "The new system will mean that even very rarely required parts not generally stocked by BMW Motorrad sales partners can be supplied on a just-in-time basis." BMW even went to the lengths of announcing that the "BMW Motorrad iPart 3D Mobile Printer" was tested on the Antarctic, by erecting a tent whose poles were produced onsite.5) Honda Last but not least, Honda UK purportedly cut the roof off a new CR-V, calling it the CR-V Roadster. Tellingly, no convertible top was even offered for the concept, "making it a no-top rather than a drop-top. This innovative design makes it a vehicle purely for sunnier climates and therefore completely useless for the two-day British summer which traditionally occurs in May."Related Video: Featured Gallery Top 5 April Fools 2018 Image Credit: Porsche Green Humor Weird Car News BMW Honda Lexus McLaren Porsche bmw motorrad mclaren automotive

Experience the New York Auto Show by drone

The Autoblog team recently returned from wildly running around the Javits Center to cover all the news and debuts at the New York Auto Show. Sometimes, it's nice to take a more serene look at the exhibition floor, though, and the event's organizers are providing that exact opportunity by flying a drone through the hall. Combined with the down-tempo music, this clip feels like a form of automotive meditation. If you're going to miss the show in the Big Apple, the drone also provides a good overview at the exhibition floor, especially at the stands from Lexus, Buick, Dodge, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and BMW. Plus, it's a fun way to see some vehicles from a completely different angle than they ever appear on the road. Related Video: News Source: New York International Auto Show via YouTube Auto News New York Auto Show BMW Buick Dodge Honda Lexus Mercedes-Benz Toyota Videos drone 2015 ny auto show

Lexus joins subscription craze with Complete Lease

Lexus is the latest automaker to offer a vehicle subscription service, even if it isn't marketing it that way per se. The luxury brand is launching Lexus Complete Lease as a "full-service lease program," but if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, well, you get the idea. The program is offered exclusively with the 2019 Lexus UX subcompact crossover, both the UX 200 and the UX 250h hybrid, in all trim and option levels. Lexus is teaming up with roughly 80 dealers for the program in seven states: California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. And it's touted as a simplified monthly payment that includes insurance, scheduled maintenance and other services. So it's a subscription service, OK? More specifically, Complete Lease involves a two-year term capped at a total of 20,000 miles. Insurance is provided by Travelers and includes a $250,000 per-person and $500,000 per-accident bodily injury limit and $250,000 property limit, with a $500 deductible, though other rates and coverage can vary by state. You also get two years of connected vehicle services including SiriusXM satellite radio and Lexus Enform Remote Destination Assist on models equipped with Navigation. There's no word yet on Complete Lease pricing; Autoblog sought that information from Lexus and will update this if we hear back. But we know that the UX is the lowest-priced Lexus, starting at $33,025 for the UX 200 and $35,025 for the UX 250h. For comparison's sake, those are in the same ballpark as the respective starting prices for Volvo's XC40 crossover and S60 sedan, which are available under the Care by Volvo subscription service starting at $700 and $750 per month, respectively. For more information on Vehicle Subscription Services, check out the Complete Guide. Related Video: