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I think people are reading this wrong.

The original Bloomberg article talks about localizing production in China and specifically states "Manley referred to adding Jeep production sites rather than shifting output from North America to China."

So they're NOT going to shut down Jeep production here in the US, but rather open up additional production lines (possibly lines for all their models) in China - iow localizing production (producing the vehicles where they plan to sell them.) Jeeps for the US (and probably North American and European) markets will still be made here in the US.

This is nothing new - Jeep transferred production of the 1984-style Cherokee to China after it was replaced here in the US by the Liberty. And other Jeep products have been license-produced overseas (I think there used to be a plant in the Philippines) over the decades. Other manufacturers are doing the same with various lines.

Considering that the cost of producing products here in the US is captive to the UAW, I can't really fault Fiat/Chrysler/Jeep for moving in this direction.

Save your breath. I’ve discovered long since that Cnservatives can’t read with any better understanding than Libs, if a hot-button is involved.

I’ve read that the Chinese tariff on US made Jeeps is in the range of $50,000; of course they can’t build them here & ship them to China; they have to build Chinese market Jeeps in China; and U.S. market Jeeps in the U.S.

I would also bet that Chinese built Jeeps won’t be safety-equipped anything like the way ours are, and will use low grade, “good-good Chinese steel” instead of high durability parts. If they are built anything like the “good-good Chinese” farm equipment (”some assembly required!”) I’ve read about on tractor forums, they’ll make Yugos look reliable.

Not YET.

Listen, I have heard this song and dance before. Production will leave the US once the plants in China get up to speed.