The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro will just have hit the market when the automaker enters it into its first motorsports competition. Toyota intends to prove the pickup’s off-road bona fides by entering one into the Baja 1000.

The race truck will compete in the Full Size Stock category of the grueling slog across Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. As the name implies, the race covers 1,000 miles of unpaved terrain, much of it covered in boulders and sand dunes, and takes over 20 hours to complete.

The class allows minor changes to the suspension, including a conversion to leaf springs in the rear. However, aside from safety equipment, massive lighting for nighttime driving, and larger capacity fluid and fuel tanks for long distances, the truck remains faithful to the production version. Key components such as the powertrain, control arms, tie rods, wheel bearings and hubs are all Toyota factory equipment.

Toyota is no stranger to racing on unpaved roads. In the late Eighties, it teamed up with Ivan “Ironman” Stewart and campaigned a series of stadium trucks that spawned a popular arcade game, Super Off Road. In 1991, Toyota and Stewart took their first Baja 500 victory, and went on to capture several more Baja 500 and 1000 wins over the next two decades. Stewart will be coaching team Tundra, comprised of four drivers and a navigator, two of whom are to engineers at Toyota Trucks and TRD.

The Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 begins November 12.

Leaked images have prematurely revealed the production version of the Citroën C-XR concept that was presented last April at the Beijing Motor Show.

Called C3-XR, Citroën’s next crossover is nearly identical to the C-XR concept but it features more realistic headlights and a decidedly less premium appearance. The car stretches 163 inches long and 68 inches wide, dimensions that place it at the smaller end of the crossover segment.

Interior pictures were not leaked but Citroën has previously hinted the C3-XR will pack a well-appointed cockpit with room for up to five passengers and their gear. Tech-minded buyers will be able to order the crossover with a touch screen-based infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity and a rear-view camera.

Base models will reportedly be powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, while more expensive variants will gain a 163-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo four. Power will be sent to the front wheels exclusively, meaning the C3-XR will not be a true off-roader in spite of its raised ground clearance.

Set to be assembled in China, the Citroën C3-XR will greet the public for the first time at the Guangzhou Motor Show that will open its doors to the public next November. The C3-XR will go on sale across China before the end of the year, but Citroën is not currently planning on adding the crossover to its lineup in other markets.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Fiat’s Indian division has published the first official images of the facelifted Punto hatchback.

Called Punto Evo locally, the Indian-spec Punto stands out from the model sold in Europe thanks to more angular headlights and a new bumper that incorporates a wider radiator grille and a bigger air dam. New paint colors, LED tail lamps and numerous chrome-look accents all around finish off the updates.

Inside, the differences between the two models are minor and largely limited to market-specific trim. The two cars share the same dashboard, the same steering wheel and the same seats. The Punto Evo can be equipped with automatic A/C, cruise control, LED ambient lighting and Bluetooth connectivity, while top two trim levels come standard with front and side airbags.

The Punto’s entry-level engine is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder that generates 68 horsepower. Buyers looking for more power can order a 90-horsepower 16-valve 1.4-liter unit, and Fiat offers a 1.3-liter turbodiesel rated at either 76 or 93 horsepower. All engines send power to the front wheels via a manual transmission.

The facelifted Fiat Punto will go on sale across India next week. Pricing information hasn’t been published yet.

What’s Next?
The European-spec Punto will not undergo similar updates. An earlier report indicates the nameplate will be phased out entirely in the next couple of years and replaced by a similarly-sized hatchback with a 500-inspired design that will slot between the standard 500 and the larger 500L. Expected to ride on an evolution of the Dodge Dart‘s Compact U.S. Wide platform, the yet-unnamed Punto replacement will go head-to-head against the Ford Fiesta.