Toyota has released an all-new 4.6L V8 engine that will replace the current 4.7L V8. The new eight-cylinder engine puts out 310 hp and 327 lb-ft of torque and delivers a fuel econ of 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway. This new 4.6L V8 engine puts it ahead of the pack in terms of power and fuel economy for standard V8s in the segment. The engine will be mated with a 'new' six-speed automatic.

Toyota has also a new platinum package Tundra CrewMax Limited with the 5.7L V8. A new grille with chrome bumpers, unique 20-inch wheels, daytime running lamps, branded door sill protectors and platinum badging around the truck.

Hyundai gets into action

Hardcore Professional Drifters will have a new competitor to contend with this year as Hyundai gets into the action with Rhys Millen. The Genesis Coupe is still a few months from going on sale in the US, but Hyundai is putting up its promotional efforts. Red Bull and Rhys Millen Racing have struck up a sponsorship deal to run the new coupe in several different series.

Millen is building a drift/race car based on the coupe with a 550-hp Lambda V6; Millen's machine is punched out to 4.1 litres and boosted with a turbonetics turbocharger. The stock coupe chassis is stripped down to the bare essentials. The chassis seams have been stitched to improve rigidity and carbon-fibre body panels have been added to get the car's weight down to 2,400 lb.

The Millen car will also be wearing Red Bull colours. Millen will run the car at Pikes Peak and in Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship, and a few Redline Time Attack series races. So with the success of this car can we see the Genesis Coupe at our local Hyundai dealer. The likes of Dean 'The Matador' Shaw would love to be in on this.

Mitsubishi pulls out of Dakar

Honda, Audi, Porsche, Suzuki, Subaru, and Kawasaki have pulled out of some form of motorsports because of you know what ... Mitsubishi has joined them as well. Neither the Mitsubishi Pajeros that won the Dakar Rally 12 times in total (out of 26 attempts), nor the diesel racing Lancer that earned a seventh place in this year's race, will be racing the sands again any time soon. Mitsubishi has ended its factory efforts in order to focus on its core business. Come 2010, the red rhombus logo that has stamped its name in the seven consecutive Dakar victories will have its presence surely missed.

No 2009 Evo for US

The production of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X has been put on hold; the Japanese carmaker is saying there are enough Evos around to make it through to the end of the year when the 2010 model is released. Mitsubishi says the sales of the Evo X are up 50 per cent in 2008.

The 2009 Evo will continue to be produced for Canada and Puerto Rico so Mitsubishi is only skipping the US market for the 2009 model year. The 2010 model will go on sale this summer and will feature some 'minor', undisclosed upgrades. With this new economic crunch I wonder if Ian Lyn can still meet the demand of hard-core Evo lovers.

Jeremy Clarkson's take a pay cut

One of the presenters on the best car show (TopGear) in the UK and the world, Jeremy Clarkson, is reportedly earning about £2,000,000 per year. The producer of the show - BBC - has undergone some cost-cutting. Clarkson stands to lose up to £500,000. The BBC is looking to save £20 million by putting salaries on a diet. Anyone making more than £100,000 per year will get a 25 per cent pay cut when their contract is renewed.

Australian actor in sport racing

Australian actor Eric Bana has joined the rich list of Hollywood actors who indulged into some form of motorsports. To be in the company of greats like Steve McQueen and the late Paul Newman is truly indeed a great honour. The star of Hulk, Munich and Black Hawk Down has been driving his Porsche 996 Cup at various events; he has decided to race in his native Australia's biggest motor races, the Mount Panorama Bathurst 12-hour event.

The race will see a record number of 49 teams for this year's event. Bana will be the star of his upcoming documentary 'Love' the Beast; Bana will be driving a Mitsubishi Evolution X, against some top teams from Alfas, BMWs, Fords, Holdens, Hondas, Mazdas, Mitsubishis, Nissans, Porsches, Subarus and Toyotas. The EVO lovers here would love to see the result of that.

Travis Pastrana Edition 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Three-time Rally America national champion Travis Pastrana will have his own Travis Pastarna Edition 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI car. Pastrana was in the island a few weeks ago filming his new stunt reality show, which will be aired on MTV later this year. The car's colour is a custom yellow paint with a carbon-fibre bonnet and rear spoiler, front chin spoiler, and a set of PIAA 2100 HID driving lights.

The suspension has been improved by an SPT strut tower brace, and a lower chassis brace. The car will be powered by the 2.5-litre boxer engine and gets an upgraded ECU and custom downpipe, while the interior now sports custom blue Alcantara seats with yellow piping, short-throw shifter, Kicker sound system and a Xbox 360. Will the likes of Richie Rerrie step up on of these?

Mazda RX-7 still under development

Fans of a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door Japanese sports car are not having good news in recent times. Subaru and Toyota were postponing the launch of their boxer-powered RWD coupe, Honda killed the S2000 and Nissan has cancelled its Silvia. Mazda is hard at work on another version of the RX-7 and development is under way on the next RX-8, supposedly dubbed the RX-9, the new RX-7 will be powered by a 16x twin rotor Wankel engine, each rotor will displace 800cc.

The displacement of the 13B will increase by 300cc and will be producing 270hp in normally aspirated mode. Mazda claims that the fuel econ will be boosted by 20 per cent and emissions will be drastically reduced. Mazda is developing a dual-clutch transmission with a twist: the DCT will allow drivers to set the exact points where the clutch packs engage for maximum performance on the track.

An all-new chassis is being developed that will supposedly eliminate around 220 lb, bringing the RX-7's weight down to approximately 2,640 lb. When this car does come to the market, can we see a Peter Rae and the May Pen Ice Peter 'Bull' Thompson lining up at the Mazda showroom to get one?