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Fiesta grabs Women's World Car of the Year prize

THE FORD FIESTA 1.0 Ecoboost has been crowned the Women’s World Car of the Year 2013. A panel of 18 women judged the car on factors such as colour, sex appeal and ease of driving. Beating off competition from Audi and Range Rover, the Fiesta was praised by the all-women panel and the awards chairman Sandy Myhre said: ‘It was clear from the outset the Fiesta struck a chord with our panel of women as it has features which clearly chime with the needs of female drivers.’ Barb Samardzich, chief operating officer, Ford of Europe, said: ‘The success of the new Fiesta, both in terms of this award and impressive sales, has been achieved with a car which is sharp looking, better connected and even more fuel efficient and fun-to-drive.’

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.

Mini and Miles Ahead team up for teen driving school at Indy

Mini has teamed up with new teen driving school Miles Ahead to bring licensed youth to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and train them to drive properly. Indy 500 veteran Stephan Gregoire founded the effort to combat the high number of crashes, injuries and deaths involving teenage drivers. The chance of a teen crashing in the first three years of driving is 82.9 percent, according to Mini, and a 16-year-old is 20 times more likely to be killed in a crash than an adult.