According to Reuters, Toyota has scaled back its production forecasts for 2011. Thanks to slowly improving sales in the U.S., the automaker has trimmed its plans for next year from eight million vehicles to 7.8 million – a drop of 200,000 units. If that’s the case, 2011 will mark the third straight year that the Japanese Automaker has fallen short of the eight million unit mark, excluding Daihatsu and Hino Motors. The report came courtesy of a Japanese newspaper, which cited an unnamed source for the information. Toyota does not publish its production plans. @funkmasterflex

Pickup truck fans have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of light-duty diesel engines in half-ton trucks for the past several years, and it now appears that at least one automaker is about to deliver. According to a report from the all-Mopar-knowing minds at Allpar.com, Chrysler’s dealer computer system is showing new entries for a diesel-powered Ram 1500 in regular and Quad Cab configurations. @FUNKMASTERFLEX

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BMW will officially unveil the 2012 1 Series M Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Meanwhile, reports are starting to crop up about an even more hardcore 1 Series M. BMW says that initial customer reaction to the 1M will determine the need for a GTS/CSL-type car, as well as potential droptop version. “We have a cabrio unofficially,” says BMW. The 1 Series M Coupe is expected to be produced through the summer of 2012 until the next-generation 1 Series hits the market. @funkmasterflex AB

In less than a week, the FIA could vote in a new engine for the 2013 Formula One season, and the smart money is on a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder to replace the current 2.4-liter V8s. @funkmasterflex

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