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Agschmid

(28,749 posts)
Sat Jul 4, 2015, 11:07 PM Jul 2015

Your Car is Probably More (or Less) American Than You Think

Every year on Independence Day, millions of Americans tackle the same series of questions: Where can I go to see the fireworks? What kind of snarky Facebook status update can I write that will make me feel superior while irritating my British friends? And what does it really mean to be American?

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Well, here's a new one: What does it really mean for a car to be American? Once it was as simple as Chevy=American, Honda=Japanese and BMW=German. But global manufacturing, global design centers and global supply chains have muddied those distinctions. If a car is designed at Toyota's Californian studio by American industrial designers, then produced by American workers at Toyota's Mississippi factory, is that a Japanese car?

American University's Kogod School of Business has released an index to help answer questions like these. They've looked at the big picture by taking all of the following into account:

- Profit Margin: Where the automaker's global headquarters is located
- Labor: Where the car is assembled
- Research and Development Inventory, Capital, and Other Expenses: Location of assembly
- Engine and Transmission: Location of production
- Body, Interior, Chassis, Electrical, and Other: Location of production
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration AALA "Domestic Content" Score


By crunching the numbers, they've determined a ranking of what are, in essence, the most- and least-American cars. Top of the list is nothing to brag about, I'm afraid: The 2015 Buick Enclave is ranked #1 with an 87.5% domestic content figure.


Read the article here.

Check your cars ranking here.

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For what it's worth my car is #45, with 45% domestic content. How about yours?
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Your Car is Probably More (or Less) American Than You Think (Original Post) Agschmid Jul 2015 OP
So where does my 1993 Toyota fit in?? n/t dixiegrrrrl Jul 2015 #1
What model? Agschmid Jul 2015 #2
Tercel. dixiegrrrrl Jul 2015 #13
Phew. Agschmid Jul 2015 #14
i drive an '05 mazda miata. DesertFlower Jul 2015 #3
#83 on the list! Agschmid Jul 2015 #4
#82 tammywammy Jul 2015 #5
I was surprised mine was so high! Agschmid Jul 2015 #6
The reason I bought a Yaris NorthCarolinaL Jul 2015 #7
Why did you want Japanese? Agschmid Jul 2015 #9
They hold their resale value a lot better Travis_0004 Jul 2015 #16
Mazda 3, I got a score of 6 Travis_0004 Jul 2015 #8
I'm pretty sure my 1989 Toyota... malokvale77 Jul 2015 #10
Yes that's true it is geared towards current model years. Agschmid Jul 2015 #11
Tied for 6th, at 80% domestic content, just about what I'd figured (though not a 2015 model) Electric Monk Jul 2015 #12
Nicely done, #1 at putting your money where your mouth is so far. Agschmid Jul 2015 #15
I would love a Tesla, but they're a bit out of my price range :) nt Electric Monk Jul 2015 #18
Tied for #3 - Ford Taurus 82.5% domestic content Midwestern Democrat Jul 2015 #17

tammywammy

(26,582 posts)
5. #82
Sat Jul 4, 2015, 11:33 PM
Jul 2015

But I didn't expect it to be higher. It's a Volkswagen Tiguan, built in Germany...Japanese transmission I think.

 

NorthCarolinaL

(51 posts)
7. The reason I bought a Yaris
Sun Jul 5, 2015, 12:14 AM
Jul 2015

is because it's about the most Japanese. Now I find they did some R&D somewheres else? D'oh!



malokvale77

(4,879 posts)
10. I'm pretty sure my 1989 Toyota...
Sun Jul 5, 2015, 12:31 AM
Jul 2015

is pure Japanese. The index wasn't helpful.

I have to buy Japanese made parts (they're expensive). The Taiwanese parts don't hold up.

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