Posted on 04/22/2014 4:13:47 PM PDT by rickmichaels
The Kogod "Made in America" Auto Index may not be on your radar when comparing vehicles. In today’s market, building new vehicles is a global undertaking for all automakers, including those who call North America home.
That said, "built in America" still resonates with many people. Understanding that this is an important factor to some people, the Kogod index uses a unique evaluation process to determine how much domestic (North American) content is present in vehicles sold in the United States. A win here can mean a feather in the cap for some, specifically the Detroit "big three."
"This index provides the public with a more accurate reflection of the true country of origin of a car and the impact of its purchase on the US economy," said Associate Professor Frank DuBois, the index's author and an expert in global supply chains.
"And hopefully, it holds vehicle manufacturers accountable for the claims they make in marketing to U.S. consumers."
The vehicles to top the 2014 Kogod Made in America list are:
- Ford F-Series (score: 87.5 out of 100)
- Chevrolet Corvette (87.5)
- Buick Enclave(86)
- Chevrolet Traverse(86)
- GMC Acadia (86)
- GMC Acadia Denali (86)
The first Made in America Auto Index occurred in 2013, with the Acadia, Enclave, and Traverse each finishing tied at the top of the list with a score of 88.5.
The top 21 vehicles, in fact, are all either GM (18) or Ford (three) models, and a non-North American vehicle doesn't enter the list until 29 (Honda Odyssey).
A total of seven individual criteria are considered when calculating the index. This includes profit margin (6%), labour (6%), location of R&D activities (6%), assembly location (11%), engine and transmission production location (14% and 7%, respectively), plus where the body, chassis and electrical components are manufactured (50%). Canada and U.S. content is not differentiated, but calculated together for the final results.
4 door, of course. Green body, yellow back fin section (damaged during painting in Detriot so they replaced the original green paint with yellow, making our car unique).
145 HP plus a hidden, stomp-down overdrive that drove people who raced me, crazy.
Only lost to a 57 Belair with 3 duces. Out-horsed by about 100+ HP. Black with all aluminum chrome siding.
All we needed were skirts and baby moons to be even cooler.
Now, my mother got a 1972 Chevy Nova as a gift from my father to replace an older car. I know you’ve heard of the little old lady from Pasadena. Well, my mother was the not-so-old little lady from Baltimore because we discovered that the Nova didn’t have small 6 or even small 8.
Someone had put in a racing engine, probably running 286 HP or more. It could beat a jet, and sure left a lot of other cars still sitting on their asses when the traffic lights turned green.
Feel the power! Ah, those were the days, when cars were real cars, men were men, and women liked it that way.
To #21> That’s what our garage was for, to protect the car.
We had some snow and some salt but that is also why we lived in Baltimore and didn’t have to put up with your northern car-killing winters.
Plus we had the Baltimore Colts (champions) and the Baltimore Orioles, Johnny Unitas, Goetzes candy, real Maryland crab cakes, and the Buddy Dean Show.
I drive an Enclave. It’s a great car.
No Packards? What the hell kind of list is this?
DeSoto was owned and manufactured by Chrysler.
Most Studebakers today are kept as antiques which I assume your’s is. I see one or two around during the summer car shows in Virginia and Maryland, including the white Silverhawk model.
I once found the front grill of a 56 Desoto in a stream in Great Falls, Md, while we were panning for gold. For all I know, it is still there. We didn’t have American Pickers around to sell stuff like that to.
As an Indiana resident who had (against my will) helped make the Irsays insanely wealthy, I’d LOVE to send the Colts back.
I think most of the replies here are misunderstanding the use of the word “real.” They’re ranking recently manufactured vehicles on North American content and profit margin retained in North America. Nothing else, it really doesn’t have anything to do with whether or not the vehicles are appealing.
I've known some women like that.
Honorable Mention
1966 Mercury Station Wagon 429 cu in 4BBL Holley
Loaded with college kids, that wagon *beat* a 1969 Camaro SS 396 cu in Rochester QuadraJet
In a 5 mile straight run along an old route in the midwest.
The Mercury wagon’s 429 engine mounts broke under the strain.
I don’t believe that I ever explained the specifics to my parents, only that, I mentioned to them that a strange sound would come from the engine compartment whenever I tried to get the car to go faster than 55 mph.
That, turned out to be the metal, belt-driven cooling fan ... meeting up with the back side of the radiator, as the engine would surge forward, un-checked by the formerly-working engine mounts.
In another match, demonstrating how young and stupid a kid can be, I again raced that Camaro SS ... but this time, in at least 1 ft of fresh snow, and using “my” 1966 Ford Thunderbird 428 cu in 4BBL Holley.
It was dangerous but a beautiful thing, as the moon was out, and in the rear view mirror the snow wake trailed.
The snow made the ride very quiet though the engine firmly kept the pace.
It was a not-so-straight run that time, north to south, about 8 miles over country roads in the same area of the midwest.
Great cars.
You apparently get teased about the ‘51 Stude,but no matter what,it is 100% American made while the new “American made” cars have content from various & assorted places. How many of them will be around(let alone in running order) in 60+ yrs.?
You apparently get teased about the ‘51 Stude,but no matter what,it is 100% American made while the new “American made” cars have content from various & assorted places. How many of them will be around(let alone in running order) in 60+ yrs.?
I had the exact same reaction of the engine in a 61 Olds. I bought it from Billy Graham, (not that Billy Graham but a football player at Troy U.). If I revved the engine even a little, the fan would hit the shroud and made a huge racket.
Billy told me it was just a loose engine mount and I took his word for it and bought it. I got under the front with a Crescent Wrench and sure enough, that was all that was wrong.
It took me around a minute or less to tighten the mount and it never gave any trouble again. I never could understand why he didn’t fix it himself.
Government Motors (GM) no thanks, never.
I loved the Delta 88. Great post.
My 65 was about the same color as Ted Kennedy’s 67 Olds. I never drove mine off any bridges tho.
It’s not so much *where* a car is built, but *how* a car is built.
Especially the convertibles with the Mark Cross interior!
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