The presence of foreign-owned automobile plants in the United States is nothing new. An influx of such manufacturing facilities has followed Toyota’s initial move into the U.S. back in 1986. (See the recent Business Week article, “Southern Comfort”.) Most all American are aware that various “foreign” automobiles are made in the States, but it takes Joseph B. White’s Wall Street Journal piece, “What Really Makes an American Car?” to really put the real state of affairs in perspective.
With foreign automobiles often using components made in the U.S.A. (more so than some American models), and some American models being assembled outside the States (while many foreign cars are actually assembled in America), the question emerges: Just what is a real “American” automobile? To attract those who place some value on “buying American” when purchasing a car, might we soon see “domestically-assembled automobile” or “domestically-sourced components” emerge in automaker efforts to appeal to influential authenticity (a la ”dolphin-free tuna” and ”rainforest-friendly soap”)?
And ultimately, might those seeking to protect jobs in the United States come to change their battle cry from “Buy American” (a fake distinction) to “Buy Domestic” (the real reality)?
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