[Hermann the Cherusker]

The automotive industry is particularly vast and complex, and occasional headlines can be misleading. While it IS true that you'll occassionally see headlines of foreign automakers retooling or maybe even opening a new plant here in the U.S., the overall frequency is declining, while the trend has been toward final assembly only while offshoring major components (engines, transmissions, windshields, etc. etc.) The automotive industry is vast when you consider the supply chain, and the U.S, industry is definitely losing it's manufacturing base.

It just ain't so. Federal Reserve Production Data again.

Motor Vehicle Parts Production (December of year - avg. of 1997 months = 100):

1986 - 56.654
1987 - 59.996
1988 - 66.415
1989 - 58.104 (recession)
1990 - 51.328 (recession)
1991 - 58.462
1992 - 68.789
1993 - 79.31
1994 - 89.088
1995 - 90.064 (slowdown)
1996 - 94.487
1997 - 105.25
1998 - 110.48
1999 - 118.587
2000 - 108.267 (recession)
2001 - 108.215 (recession)
2002 - 113.045
2003 - 118.337

[XBob]

So, US auto part production doubled in 6 years from 1990-1996?

And we employed twice as many people manufacturing them?