Good news - and bad - for local, national auto industry [2.5.8]

[T Mac]

A major U.S. automotive analytical group predicts a strong year for Chrysler operations in Windsor and Ford workers in Oakville, but expects bad times for some other Canadian assembly plants.

General Motors cars and trucks built in Oshawa are going to come under more sales pressure this year, as will some of the Chrysler sedans built in Brampton, according to IRN, Inc., of Grand Rapids, Mich., in an annual report.

Honda in Alliston will continue to do gangbusters business with its world-beating Civic. But Honda's Canadian-built Pilot crossover and Ridgeline pickup truck are facing the same sales challenge as the Detroit Big Three: higher gas prices are hurting them badly, IRN says.

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By Chris Vander Doelen, The Windsor Star