Two very different stories from the business side of the car world this week: a Canadian car factory is going to build armoured vehicles, and Honda found money in hybrids and a weak yen while still writing off billions on electric cars.
Stellantis sells Brampton to armoured-vehicle maker Roshel
Stellantis announced on Monday, 9 November, that it has signed an asset purchase agreement to sell its idled Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, along with its equipment, to Roshel, a Canadian defence technology company best known for armoured vehicles. Financial terms were not disclosed, and the deal is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
Brampton was the home of the Dodge Challenger and Charger and the Chrysler 300 until production was paused in December 2023. According to CTV News, more than 2,200 workers have been on layoff since then. Stellantis later moved the next-generation Jeep Compass that was meant for Brampton to Illinois, a decision widely linked to US tariffs.
The two companies say the sale will “create a path to return the Brampton Assembly Plant to productive industrial use”. When the deal was first announced in September, Roshel said it planned to bring more than 2,000 jobs to the site.
The union is furious. Unifor national president Lana Payne called it a “worst case scenario” and said Stellantis had “betrayed our members”. Critics also point out that Roshel will build vehicles at a fraction of the plant’s old car-making rate.
Stellantis says it still employs more than 10,000 people in Canada, including at Windsor Assembly and the Etobicoke Casting Plant.
Honda lifts its profit outlook by 20% – despite a huge EV bill
On Tuesday, 10 November, Honda raised its full-year operating profit forecast to ¥780 billion (about $4.94 billion) from ¥650 billion, citing strong US hybrid demand and the weak yen.
The headline hides a rough quarter. Operating profit for July to September fell 39% to ¥118 billion, well below analysts’ expectations, after Honda booked another ¥484.8 billion in charges for restructuring its electric-vehicle business. Total EV restructuring costs have now passed $12 billion.
Motorcycles carried the group. Honda sold a record 11.9 million bikes in the first half, and net profit for the six months rose 66% to ¥516.76 billion, according to the Associated Press. Car sales went the other way: 1.57 million in the half, down from 1.68 million, and Honda cut its full-year vehicle sales forecast by 7% to 3.16 million, mainly because of China.
Why it matters
Both stories point the same way. Tariffs, a slow EV transition and a weak Chinese market for foreign brands are forcing carmakers to shrink factories and rethink plans. Honda’s answer for now is hybrids; Stellantis has simply walked away from Brampton.
