April fools media releases

April ‘fools day’ in the automotive media worlds always means a number of hoax media releases – here are two goodies from Honda and Toyota.

Honda introduces HondaHAIR, first-ever in-vehicle hair-grooming tool

Honda has unveiled the first-ever mobile barbering tool for busy, cost-conscious families. The HondaHAIR will be available as a Honda Genuine Accessory that attaches to the 2014 Odyssey Touring Elite’s HondaVAC to provide an efficient way to cut hair.

By simply snapping the HondaHAIR into place on the Odyssey Touring Elite’s standard HondaVAC vacuum, the powerful suction can fashion the perfect bob, pixie or buzz cut. Capable of creating any style cut, the HondaHAIR offers affordability and convenience and transforms the cargo space into a virtual salon on wheels—eliminating the need to trek to the stylist or barber.

“We recognise that our Odyssey drivers are busier than ever, which is why we’ve packed the car with so many conveniences, including this HondaHAIR forward-thinking technology,” said Parsley Thyme, head of public relations at American Honda.

The HondaVac HondaHAIR accessory is the perfect complement to the do-it-yourself mobile haircut movement, which can be seen on more than 6500 Pinterest boards, 100 Facebook groups and thousands of YouTube videos.

The HondaHAIR accessory will be available on the 2014 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite when it hits Honda dealerships later this summer.

Toyota Proace in Britain’s first Touring Van Championship

If it’s got an engine, you can race it. True to that principle, Toyota is lining up its new Proace van for a summer of high speed track action in the new Touring Van Championship.

Its three UK independent touring car teams have jumped at the chance to be the first to the grid in the new series, parading their race-prepped Proace machines in full team livery.

Breaking the news, championship spokesman Gideon “Gig” Gleman said: “The Touring Van Championship is just the kind of cost-conscious racing Britain needs.

“The Proace carries up to 1.2 tonnes in its 7m3 loadspace, so everything you need to go racing can be carried in the back.

“No big trucks, no catering wagons, no fancy-dan hospitality units – if it won’t fit in the Proace, then it’s not needed at the circuit.”

Eagle-eyed motorists may have spotted the racing Proace undergoing its intensive test programme.

Its handling has been fine tuned through 24-hour lane-switching manoeuvres on the M62, while the sequence of traffic lights along the A4 west of London have helped hone its off-the-line acceleration.

This month Proace will also undergo full race assessment at the Nürburgring, competing in the annual Lastkraftwagenpokal meeting around the legendary circuit’s Flair Loop.

It’s set to be the van to beat when the championship bursts into action in July.

And we can reveal that talks are under way for it to mix it with the Avensis touring cars in the British Touring Car Championship proper before the end of the season.

Our sources tell us the racing saloons will even be rebranded Avansis in honour of the occasion.

“Volvo raced an estate car back in the ‘90s, so we see it as a natural evolution of touring cars to embrace vans. If you want inclusivity in British motorsport, count us in!” said Gleman.

“Toyota has a fine history of truck racing in America – even Kimi Räikkönen has been behind the wheel of a high-speed Tundra pick-up – so the sky’s the limit.”