By The Canadian Press

OSHAWA, Ont. - General Motors confirmed Wednesday that its Oshawa assembly plant will produce the company's all-new 2011 Buick Regal beginning in the first quarter of that year.

The 2011 Regal is a midsize sport sedan based on the design of GM's Opel Insignia, selected the 2009 European car of the year.

"It brings all of Insignia's award-winning design, technology and European-inspired performance capabilities to the North American market," the company said in a news release.

Production of the new Buick Regal, first reported as a possibility several months ago, is the latest in a string of positive news for GM plants in Canada.

The Oshawa plant has been running overtime shifts since June to produce GM's popular Chevrolet Camaro and, beginning in 2011, will produce the Camaro Convertible.

Other good news for Canadian plants includes the recent addition of a third shift plus overtime at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ont., to keep up with demand for the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. The CAMI plant is a joint venture with Suzuki.

GM Canada has also introduced flexible transmission production at its St. Catharines, Ont., facility to assemble a fuel-efficient six-speed front-while drive transmission.

The new Buick Regal joins the Chevrolet Camaro and the Equinox and the GMC Terrain as the fourth new vehicle in the production commitment that was part of the agreement with the Canadian and Ontario governments, which provided GM Canada $10.5 billion in emergency loans.

A fifth vehicle will be named at a later date.

General Motors of Canada is headquartered in Oshawa and employs 9,000 people across the country.