Bentley set to enter Dakar rally with new SUV

Is Bentley planning to enter the 2013 Dakar rally with a race version of its new Range Rover-rivaling luxury SUV? CAR has uncovered early plans suggesting that Crewe is preparing to do exactly that, helping give its EXP 9F 4x4 a motorsport pedigree to smoothe the arrival of this rather controversial 4x4. CAR understands that Bentley is currently buying back the Race Touaregs that VW Motorsport sold to privateer teams after leaving the event to concentrate on its Polo WRC entry.

Toyota to end Australian manufacturing in 2017

When Holden announced that it would no longer build cars in Australia after 2017, that country’s flagging automotive industry was effectively put on notice -- Mitsubishi had stopped building cars there in 2008, and Ford says its two plants there will close in October 2016. Now Toyota has announced that it has no option but to end vehicle Australian vehicle production. Like Holden, it will close its factories there in 2017.

Ford expands use of inflatable rear seatbelt

Ford Motor Co. is expanding the availability of inflatable rear seatbelts to the Ford Flex wagon and some Lincoln vehicles, starting next summer. The safety technology was first introduced on the redesigned Ford Explorer earlier this year as a $195 option.