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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.

Starr Trust urges car donations

A CHARITY that helps young people in the Brighton area achieve their goals is asking the public to donate old cars as part of a fundraising drive. The Starr Trust has teamed up with Giveacar, a non-profit social enterprise which collects unwanted and unused cars for charity. Cars are collected free of charge nationwide by Giveacar then sold through an online auction or disposed of at an authorised treatment facility.

Ford Ka (2009): more photos and details

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 08 September 2008 17:40 Ford has issued more details and photographs of its Ka city car, the Blue Oval's twin of the cutesy Fiat 500. The new Ka will – for the first time – be available as a diesel in the shape of the 74bhp 1.3-litre TDCI model, which can muster a very sensible 67.2mpg on the combined cycle. But don't forget that few 'mini buyers pick diesel in the UK; an oil-burning city car's price premium appears larger and economy gains smaller when compared with bigger cars, making diesel babies like hens' teeth.