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Jeep Wrangler's assembly line in Toledo, Ohio, USA |
One would typically think that it's to be expected that an American vehicle brand that assembles vehicles in American factories would naturally mean that the vehicle is "American," but the reality is that the auto industry sources components from suppliers all over the globe, with sub-assemblies produced nearly anywhere, and final assembly occurring in factories all around the world. In the Wall Street Journal's words,
Of the 253 total vehicles indexed, the Jeep Wrangler is tied for 4th place as the most overall America-made vehicles.Domestic brands have the most American-made content in the U.S. according to a new index released by American University’s Kogod School of Business. Professor Frank DuBois, a global supply chain management expert, led the analysis, which considered not only where each vehicle’s parts were produced, but also the location of the manufacturer’s headquarters and other details, all in an effort to help consumers buy American.“If you break down a single ‘American-made’ transmission, you’ll find many smaller parts, each stamped with its own country of origin. You may well find 80% of the parts inside that transmission didn't come from the U.S.,” said Dubois.