Thought I'd share this

Chinese Jeep production confirmed with Fiat, Guangzhou agreement - Autoblog

 

They're just going to build some there for the Asian market. Our Jeeps will still be built in Toledo.

 

That's what they say now....until they realize its cheaper and less taxing......

 

The reason they are creating a plant in China is because the Chinese government imposes tariffs on imported vehicles. Chrysler ran the cost projections and found it's cheaper, more profitable, and they will sell more Jeeps if they bring a plant to China, versus shipping vehicles from the US and being slapped with the tariff.

If Jeep does start making all Jeeps in China and ships them back home, then it's your job as a consumer to not buy them, if you are patriotic. The problem is, most American people want to buy crap as cheaply as possible, and they do it without caring where or how it was made.

Edit: FYI for all, but Chrysler has long been in partnership with Mitsubishi. (Mitsu isn't chinese, but they are a foreign car maker). IMO, the most egregious example of this is the Jeep Patriot. The Patriot, for Christ's sake. It rides on the Mitsubishi GS platform and uses the joint-global developed 2.4 4-cylinder. There's nothing Jeep about it, other than the cheap plastic interior and badging.

 

Apparently, Jeeps for the Asian markets used to be built in China, but the lost access to that when Mercedes sold Chrysler. And there is a huge market for our jeeps there.

I've always wondered why the US can't do the same thing and force auto makers to build cars here with tariff's.

 

Agreed. 10char

 

From a global business perspective, it's a give/take. Consider the largest vehicle importers to the US: Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, Korea. They make up about 93% of all vehicle imports to the US.

Canada and Mexico don't really count because they're part of NAFTA. "Free trade", and they're US car companies importing vehicles back into the US. With a few exceptions, of course. There are lots of Mexican-built VW's. I'd be curious how NAFTA applies there, if it's a legal back-door loophole to avoid tariffs.

That leaves Japan, Germany, and Korea. Read up on trade agreements with them, quite interesting.

It should be noted that foreign automakers have been incentivized in different ways to build on US soil. Honda, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Nissan and Volkswagen all have US plants, among others.

 

A lot of parts in our JKs are Chinese made . Like your alloy rims? Look at that made in China on them. The list goes on and on. Iconic Brand ? Like the title of this thread says . .

 

Stamped on the inside of a Moab wheel.

 

The Sahara steps I took off where stamped "MADE IN CANADA"