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Land Rover Defender to be built in Sri Lanka

The Land Rover Defender is to be built outside the UK in a new plant in Sri Lanka to produce Defenders for the region. Land Rover are assisting and training staff at a new assembly plant in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, run by Sathosa Motors PLC in a 50-50 deal with Land Rover distributors SML Frontier Automotive, with $1 million being invested to get the project up and running this year. It seems clear from the level of investment that this is simply an assembly operation using CKD kits from the UK for the Defender, but Sri Lank’s Daily News is reporting that there are plans to invest $500 million in the project.

Volkswagen Group takes over BlackBerry's European R&D center

The Volkswagen Group has taken over BlackBerry's European research and development center in Bochum, Germany. The center employs around 200 people who will transfer to the newly founded VW Group subsidiary, Volkswagen Infotainment GmbH. BlackBerry is in the midst of a global restructure, as it bids to move away from making smartphones and switch its business to software development.

Morgan Threewheeler returns after 58-year break

The Morgan Motor Co. will relaunch the Morgan Threewheeler after a 58-year hiatus, the British automaker said on Wednesday. The 2011 Morgan Threewheeler, inspired by the three-wheeled Morgan cyclecars of the early 1900s, has a Harley-Davidson 1800CC Screamin’ Eagle V-Twin that produces an estimated 100 hp at the rear wheel.