Toyota has introduced three new SEMA vehicles based on its trio of TRD Pro trucks, the 4Runner, Tacoma and Tundra, rigged for the grueling Baja 1000.

The three have been outfitted as support vehicles for the Tundra TRD Pro Desert Race Truck that will compete in the 47th running of the spine-breaking off-road event. All three trucks have been outfitted with a suite of equipment to assist along the infamously tough course.

Light bars, winches, chase radios, and roof racks are all part of the package. In addition, the trucks will carry gear such as jacks, air compressors, extra fuel tanks, and spare wheels and tires. However, these will likely be some of the most luxurious support vehicles at the race as well, thanks to full leather interiors that are standard on production TRD Pro trucks.

Serving as team coach will be long-time Baja 500 and 1000 racer Ivan “Ironman” Stewart, whom you might remember immortalized in the popular 80s arcade game Super Off Road. Stewart is a two-time Baja 1000 champion (as well as 11-time Baja 500 winner), and has helped Toyota impressive tally of 303 off-road wins, 27 manufacturer’s championships and 28 off-road driver’s championships.

The trucks will be on display at the week-long SEMA Show on November 4-7. Just days after they roll out of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s floors, the TRD PRO trucks will head to Ensenada, Mexico to cover 1,130 miles of unpaved desert and mountain terrain.

Reports from the UK indicate that the next Nissan GT-R is likelier than ever to have hybrid power.

With the next-generation GT-R, internally referred to as the R36, debuting in 2018, AutoCar is reporting that Nissan Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura yet to start on the design, though the drivetrain is already under development. However, Nakamura hinted that the 2020 Vision Gran Turismo concept would “contribute to the overall feeling” of the R36 while the interior moves upscale. Nakamura also stated that it would keep its “boxy, functional appearance,” adding, “It shouldn’t be too elegant, and it should be brutal, with a rawness.”

While the front-engined, all-wheel-drive layout will be maintained, the rumored hybrid powertrain is looking a little more certain. According to Top Gear, Nissan Great Britain’s head of sports car development, James Oliver, has all but confirmed it. “I think [a GT-R hybrid] is the obvious direction,” Oliver said. “We already have the capability in terms of battery production and electric vehicle technology, so I don’t think it’s a great stretch to think a future performance product would have some of that tech incorporated into it.”

Without mentioning the competition directly, Oliver referenced the new generation of hybrid supercars like the LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder and McLaren P1 that the GT-R is going up against. “The overall market is looking at different methods of powering cars, and at Nissan we’ve got great expertise and investment of electric,” said Oliver.

In any case, the purpose of the GT-R and is rank in the automotive kingdom is not lost on Oliver: “When the R35 launched in 2009 it was a massive leap forward, and we need to make sure when the next generation comes, it’s a similar leap forward. Not just the car itself, but the overall effect for Nissan.”

Chrysler’s Ram division has announced it will travel to next month’s SEMA show in Las Vegas to introduce two new concepts.
The first concept is called Ram 2500 Outdoorsman. Designed for those who like to venture far into the wilderness, the truck’s off-road capacity is increased by a Mopar lift kit, a winch, Blistein shocks all around and 35-inch BFGoodrich tires mounted on 17-inch bead-lock wheels.

The truck also gains a number of accessories including a roof rack, a tailgate that can be converted into a bench seat with room for two and a step that facilitates access to the bed. Blacked-out headlights and a Swamp Green Thing paint job with camouflaged accents wrap up the look.

Ram’s second concept is dubbed the ProMaster Hospitality Van. Aimed primarily at small businesses, it has been converted into a mobile lounge with counter displays, merchandise displays and cabinets. Ram has even fitted the van with a cooled compartment that makes it possible to serve ice cold beverages.

Visually, the ProMaster Hospitality Van gains a two-tone gloss black and blue paint job, 12-spoke alloy wheels and Mopar graphics all around. The sliding door on the driver’s side has been replaced by a large panel that swings up.

Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images of Ram’s latest concepts straight from the show floor in Sin City starting on November 4th.

A new report coming out of England finds Porsche is in the early stages of developing an electric sedan designed to go head-to-head against the Tesla Model S.
The yet-unnamed car will be closely related to the long-rumored Pajun that will slot beneath the Panamera. It will take the form of a mid-size hatchback whose design will be inspired by the Sport Turismo concept (pictured) that was presented to the public at the 2012 edition of the Paris Motor Show.

Like the next Panamera, the sedan will ride on the next generation of Volkswagen’s MSB platform. It will weigh less than the 4,800-pound Model S thanks to lightweight materials like aluminum and hot-formed high-strength steel.

Porsche will shoot for best-in-class performance. The sedan will be powered by a brand new electric motor that will generate at least 416 horsepower and 443 lb-ft. of torque in its most powerful state of tune. Both rear- and all-wheel drive will likely be offered, and a lithium-ion battery developed jointly with sister company Audi will provide the car with a maximum driving range of about 250 miles.

Porsche’s upcoming mid-sizer will also be available with gasoline- and diesel-burning engines to take on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the BMW 5-Series and the Maserati Ghibli, though the electric model might get its own design.

A precise timeframe for when to expect the sedan is not known. Porsche initially hinted the car was on track for a 2017 launch, but an earlier report reveals it has been delayed until at least 2019 for reasons that remain murky.

Photos by Ronan Glon.