Toyota Camry tops this year's Cars.com American-Made Index

[GMusa]

not related, but anyone else notice there is a Toyota ad on the main page? Toyota advertising on a GM fan site, lol.

[plane]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

More spin for Toyota.

Its a completely flawed methodology - among other things tries to massively misrepresent Canadian production as the same as Japanese in value when instead it logically counts as the 51st State.


*********


See, contrary to what a bunch of people wish were happening, retail buyers are not abandoning GM and Chrysler and are definitely gettin' behind Ford in a really good way.

The American people - or more accurately, 'enough' of the American people are doing this in part because Chrysler, GM, and Ford are American Companies -

Just a hunch, but you can 'feel' it out there.

Simply reposted for awesomeness.

[dindak]

The 3.6L in the Malibu is made in Canada. Could that be what tipped it over?

Camry probably assembles both engines in the U.S.

['Vette Dude]

Originally Posted by dindak

The 3.6L in the Malibu is made in Canada. Could that be what tipped it over?

Camry probably assembles both engines in the U.S.

Nope. It was sales that tipped it over.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by 1G6

Things will only get worse as a wounded Toyota continues to call in its favors in the coming months.

You would think.

However, I'm wondering if they haven't basically shot their wad over the last 12 months or so.

No doubt you are correct they will try but basically they're out of ammo at this point.

Resupply appears doubtful and will be inadequate even if some gets thru.

[eurohazard]

I fail to see why the fact sales based logic is getting everyone's panties in a tussle. It makes a lot of sense to me. Sure a Corvette or Viper is very "American". but how many "Americans" build them, engineer them, drive them, buy them....etc. A high volume car/truck like the Camry and F-150 has a bigger impact thus the reason for it being weighted.

I think you're all sour of a freaking "Toyota" being so blatantly labeled as more-American than many American cars. I can't say, however, this is a smart thing...calling a Japanese branded car the most American car ever.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by XP300

The numbers here don't add up. If this study is sales weighted, does it include all Camry's or just the ones made in America.

As I've said before, "Figures lie and liars figure".

Huge point

Another fail in the methodology and presentation.

Likely more like that and other as well - ie similar counting issues.

( Corolla Matrix )

Its basically screwed up seven ways to Sunday.

[CJ Thunder]

Originally Posted by psece

How did we get here.... Just sad...

Now I am sure the Chinese hate building toys for McDonalds Happy Meals but they enjoy the meal that that work brings them.

Competition we couldn't keep up with apparently. Either by our own killing of innovation, or willingness to change. Middle class people scared of risk and starting up because of what happens to Tucker and DeLorean (though Aptera and Tesla get me excited on that regard). Lack of education overall discount with being american because of wars or anticulture. We did this.

[AMERICA 123]

Originally Posted by GMusa

I dont get how the Silverado and Sierra can be on different parts of the list... its the same truck

Well, turns out there is more to it.

*Excludes assembly plants suspended or scheduled for shutdown: Pontiac, Mich. (Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra) and Orion Township, Mich. (Chevrolet Malibu).

**Excludes hybrid models, which are broken out separately, as well as the Toyota Camry Solara.

***Excludes hybrid models, which are broken out separately — or, in the case of the Malibu Hybrid, suspended for consumer sales.

Sources: Automaker data, Automotive News, dealership data, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Notice how the exclusions help Toyota's list and hurt GM's.

And this -

Per AMI methodology, we excluded any models scheduled to be discontinued without a clear successor.

That carried stronger implications this year, as most Pontiac models — including the G6, an AMI mainstay — became ineligible.

And this - notice who's calling the tune here....

That's not a bad assumption to start with.

GM, Ford and Chrysler generally have higher domestic-parts content across their lineups than their European and Asian competitors.

The bottom rung of domestic parts-content models, conversely, is heavy on import brands:

All 50 of the 2009 models whose American Automobile Labeling Act parts content is zero are built by Asia- or Europe-based automakers, according to NHTSA.

That isn't to say every GM, Ford or Chrysler is homegrown.

The Chevy Aveo, for example, is built in Korea with 1 percent domestic parts.

Chrysler's recently discontinued PT Cruiser was built in Mexico, with a domestic-parts content of just 27 percent.

Its GM doppelganger, the Chevy HHR, also hails from south of the border, with a domestic-parts content rating of 50 percent.

Detroit's latest muscle cars, the 2010 Ford Mustang and Chevy Camaro, have a middling 60 percent domestic content, while their crosstown rival, the Dodge Challenger, comes in at 56 percent.

Of the three, the Mustang is the only car built here; the Challenger and Camaro are assembled in Canada.

Criticisms & Controversy

Critics of domestic-parts content ratings, required since 1994 by the AALA, say those ratings factor in parts costs but not labor or a host of other factors — like factory equipment — that a given model adds to the U.S. economy.

Two alternative systems — one created for the EPA's Corporate Average Fuel Economy program and the other for tariff rates and the North American Free Trade Agreement — accommodate such factors.

What's more, AALA lumps U.S. and Canadian parts content together, an approach the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association called "simply misleading" in a 2007 letter to the Department of Transportation.

AALA's dominant metric — parts costs — should factor in labor, at least theoretically.

Conventional wisdom says a $300 suspension component purchased from a supplier would incorporate the labor that went into making that part.

But, as Honda spokesman Ed Miller pointed out, the correlation can be shaky: "Because you're buying it from a vendor, they're charging you their cost plus their profit."

"One assumes they're charging you for labor," Miller said, but it's hard to know for sure.

As for the ratings themselves, the numbers seem accurate.

David Cole, chairman for the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Center for Automotive Research, told us last year that "there's a pretty detailed picture of the content, and it drills down fairly deeply. ... [The labels do] a pretty good job."

Winnowing the field further to include only the cars assembled within this country eliminates a few would-be champs.

The 2009 Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse, for example, are 85 percent domestic-content cars, according to NHTSA, but both are built in Ontario, Canada. (GM is moving production for the redesigned 2010 LaCrosse, however, to Kansas City, Kan.)

Though assembly location doesn't necessarily guarantee that the U.S. portion of that AALA U.S./Canadian content will be any higher — with auto parts crossing the borders a dozen times or more, CAR project manager Debbie Menk said, the correlation is iffy at best — it does mean stateside assembly workers are employed building that car. In our book, that makes it more American.

So now use you head - and realize just how much spin was in the quote above.

Much more than is obvious - including one that is especially galling.

Its not just Pontiac that's not eligible - its Saturn and Hummer - and Saab ( 9 -7X )

Looks like a Forbes written or assisted spin job ala Ms. Hannah.

[1G6]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

You would think.

However, I'm wondering if they haven't basically shot their wad over the last 12 months or so.

No doubt you are correct they will try but basically they're out of ammo at this point.

Resupply appears doubtful and will be inadequate even if some gets thru.

True, but there are plenty of people in the media who are happy to trash America for free.

This is another case of the newspaper industry manipulating the data to suit their objectives.

[AMERICA 123]

Yep, also true enough.

Somebody ought to put together a properly constructed rebuttal and corrected list - and lambast this one

[63GrandSport001]

That is interesting that Toyota which had about 51% of its vehicles that it sold in the US built outside of the US would make it on the list.

[PhishPhood]

Originally Posted by 63GrandSport001

That is interesting that Toyota which had about 51% of its vehicles that it sold in the US built outside of the US would make it on the list.

That was last years news. This year thru 6 months it's 55% built in the US. I've mentioned it before but Toyota has cut WAY back on exports from J --> US except for the G3 Prius.

[Mr. Burns]

Originally Posted by AMERICA 123

More spin for Toyota.

Its a completely flawed methodology - among other things tries to massively misrepresent Canadian production as the same as Japanese in value when instead it logically counts as the 51st State.

Canada is NOT and should NEVER be thought of as the 51st state.

Happy Canada Day.

[Ed753]

The volume thing skews it to be meaningless. If the Camry was 50% domestic, and all the competition was 100% but much-much lower sales numbers the Toyota could still be on top.

Something nobody brought up yet, OK, so the parts are "domestically made" but if it is a North American division of an Asian company, the profits all go back to Japan. I've worked for 2 Japanese companies, they have a cost structure that hinders the domestic division balance sheet, by design the North American division is the mule, propping up the rest of the companies global operations.