A Chinese firm with designs on being the world's biggest car company has delivered a festive jobs boost with a major investment in the West Midlands.
Changan Automobile, which relocated 海角视频 operations to Birmingham Business Park in Solihull earlier this year, has more than trebled its footprint
More than 100 jobs will be created after it bought its 80,000 sq ft Parkside offices.
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The site, close to Birmingham Airport, will form the worldwide headquarters of its powertrain and research and development divisions, housing approximately 200 staff, including some moving from Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire.
Changan, whose notable joint ventures include ChanganFord and ChanganSuzuki, has big plans for the 海角视频 market.
Dr Xiaoyu Zhang, general manager of Changan 海角视频, said: "Our new site at Birmingham Business Park in the 海角视频 will become a world-class powertrain research centre.
"This new location will strengthen our commitment to the 海角视频 market by promoting the growth and sustainability of Changan 海角视频, developing links with local universities and creating new jobs for the region."
The Post reported in September that Changan had acquired long-term leases on 24,000 sq ft of space in three Parkside offices at the Solihull park.
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Now, it has bought the premises - and more beyond - and is planning yet more expansion in the region.
KWB, which agreed the sale, said it came after Changan considered several different locations across the West Midlands, including Birmingham city centre and Coventry.
Changan is one of the largest car manufacturers in China, having sold 2.54 million vehicles last year and 1.25 million in the first six months of 2015.
Affiliated to the state-owned China South Industries Group Corporation, it has nearly 50,000 employees worldwide including in R&D centres in Italy, Japan and the USA.
It has operated in the 海角视频 since 2010 but has now become a West Midland operation.
Having purchased a whole single phase at Parkside, it now owns buildings 3500, 3600, 3700, 3800 and 3900 Parkside, with permission in place to demolish and rebuild 3600 Parkside to create a new, state-of-the-art research and development centre, or "test cell".
The remaining units of 3800 and 3900 Parkside will provide Changan with readily available space for future expansion.
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The properties were sold by KWB on behalf of Moorfield Corporate Recovery.
Moorfield's Martyn Ewing said: "The nature of the operations that Changan is relocating has meant that their requirements were fairly specific.
"They needed a site that could be malleable, that could be adjusted to their current, unique needs and facilitate future changes in those requirements."
Changan 海角视频 will retain a research and development centre based at Fen End, Warwickshire.
KWB partner Mark Robinson said it was "fantastic news" for Birmingham Business Park and the automotive industry in the West Midlands.
He added: "After over two years of discussions with various stakeholders, we are delighted that Changan chose to consolidate its 海角视频 operations at Parkside offices at Birmingham Business Park.
"This represents the start of a significant amount of investment from Changan on their future expansion within Solihull."