GM All American? Not so, maybe 30%

[ray schrauwen]

Check this out man.

This blew me away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvl5G...ayer_embedded#!

I wonder if Ken Joye knew about this???

[Stinger9D9]

Being involved with manufacturing up until about 5 years ago, I see nothing surprising here. China is a huge emerging market and American/German/Japanese corporations are tripping over each other trying to get a piece of that market. All corporations are the same in this regard.

The company I used to work for (back in Wallaceburg) was Canadian, until it was sold to the Japanese then when the Japanese gave up on it, it was sold to American interests, then quickly sold to a Chinese corporation.

As far as GM being in joint ventures with SAIC and FAW, each corporation needs to be at least 51% owned by the Chinese government to do business over there, so that's no surprise either. All foreign companies are in the same boat when it comes to that. Yeah, it's a lousy regime when it comes to human rights, but when did any big corporation give a hoot about that? Right or wrong, they just don't care. As long as the stock value goes up, that's all that matters.

Also, 70% of GM cars being built outside of the US is no surprise either. GM has built cars in foreign markets - for foreign markets for years. In Europe they have Vauxhall, in Australia, they have Holden. Their US operations have only been a fraction of their business for years.

The only thing that surprised me from this video is that anyone thought GM (or Ford or Chrysler for that matter) were "American" corporations. I guess American's have a hard time letting go of the idea of baseball, apple pie and Chevrolets...all the while as they drive to Walmart for their next disposable TV/Iphone/bicycle/Xbox/stereo etc.

For years, I just couldn't see myself in any "foreign" car, but my wife is driving a Honda Civic that was put together in Alliston Ontario while I had a Chevy Cavalier that was assembled in Mexico. Which one of those was foreign?

My new(er) Cobalt was put together in Ohio, but like I said, I really don't know if any car at all is "American" anymore. I sure do like the look of those Mustangs though...and I know they're put together in Flat Rock - near good ole' Detroit (from domestic and probably foreign sourced parts of course).

[ray schrauwen]

Good points. I had no idea the industry was such a tangled web. Seems it is so to hide some financial shinnanigans?

I like the new Mustang too. Love those flat black accents against that old Ford blue. A friend has a 1970 factory original Boss 302 in his garage. That shaker scoop is so cool.

[chevyboy67]

I understand what your saying, and it is sad.... But, the headquarters are still here in the U.S. so the money stays here... Toyota, honda, kia, and all the other foreign companies say that they're built here.... No, there assembled here... All that money gets shipped back over seas.... I'm proud to say I've never owned a foreign car/truck.... Save America, buy American..

[ray schrauwen]

If all records are correct and 70% of what GM sells is not in USA, they aren't building that 70% in the USA. Majority of money goes overseas as I see it. The big wigs here will see a chunk but, not the line workers.

[drwayne]

GM own a company in Australia called Holden.
Second largest manufacturer in Au, after ford
The V8 + V6 blocks come from US, the 4's from Germany( I think )
They export assembled vehicles back to US, tagged as Pontiac G8, Cruze .. even supply LA or NY(?) police dept their pursuit/traffic cars
I know h list of exports to US is higher, but Irecall only those few.

W

[siberianhusky]

The Holden chassis is also shipped to Oshawa On where they are assembled into Camaros. My buddies last job at GM was building the tooling for the Camaro line, he took the early bail out package and got the hell out of that S**t hole!
Still costs more in Canada than the States for the same car, go figure!
At least the trucks are still built in N.A. Aside from the 'vette the only North American product I'll drive.
Don't care where the money goes, I'll spend my money for the better car regardless of where it's constructed. Used to be a G.M only guy but that changed years ago with my first Honda Prelude, if G.M could build a decent average car I'd switch from Honda. So far G.M hasn't been able to come up with anything that comes close to the Accord in terms of performance, reliability and a quality driving experience. Plus they are all just ugly!
Deliver a quality product that people actually want and the cars will sell themselves, until they figure this out they are a lost cause. Dump the multiple product lines that offer the same car/truck with a different grill and badge, keep Corvette and Caddie, call everything else a GM and be done with the cost of tooling up for multiple releases of the same car/truck.

[ozzie-crawl]

Bit of topic but, cant believe you guys can buy a 2012 mustang $23,000 (base price)
Here that mite buy you a ford focus (4cyl). Ford falcon or holden (GM) commodore is going to cost you $35,000 and come with either a 4 liter straight 6cyl or 3.8l V6. looking around $48,000 for a V8 version.
We have a lot of Toyota,Honda,Nissan cars, but were most countries get a say a 2.2l turbo we get stuck with the 1.8l naturally aspirated version.

[bigwaveohs]

As long as the Chinese government pegs their currency to the US dollar AND manipulates the currency markets so that their currency is always 40% BELOW its true value we will never win this battle. It's not about wages.
Our government has their head in the sand and refuses to address this issue; until they do it will ALWAYS be more favorable to manufacture US goods in China.
Talk to your representatives and tell them to address this issue...then maybe we can be competitive again.

[siberianhusky]

LMAO! My MP is Dean DelMastro! Fat useless lying sack of s**t used car salesman!

[drwayne]

A motor vehicle rolled out from the GMHolden factory here in Au costs Au dealers $54k USD ( the V8 top line model )
Same car sent to US retails to you guys $44K USD
Go figure the sense in US govt subsidizing US brands.......
Hardly world economics here boys.

[ozzie-crawl]

Not sure if they still do,but Au car manufacturers used to sell to the U.S at cost or below cost just to get a piece of the market.That loss was put on any cars sold here, making them even more expensive for us to buy our own home built vehicles.
That really blows considering the federal government (Aus tax payer) puts millions in to Holden and Ford each year just to keep them going.
But lucky us have the new carbon tax start in 10 days time and our small amount of manufacturing that is still in Aus is about to either head of shore or shrivel up and die.

[drwayne]

Not sure if they still do,but Au car manufacturers used to sell to the U.S at cost or below cost just to get a piece of the market.That loss was put on any cars sold here, making them even more expensive for us to buy our own home built vehicles.
That really blows considering the federal government (Aus tax payer) puts millions in to Holden and Ford each year just to keep them going.
But lucky us have the new carbon tax start in 10 days time and our small amount of manufacturing that is still in Aus is about to either head of shore or shrivel up and die.

pardon me for correcting your grammar, Scott.
US owned AU car manufacturers ..... !!

[ozzie-crawl]

pardon me for correcting your grammar, Scott.
US owned AU car manufacturers ..... !!

Not at all you are 100% correct. So our tax dollars are boosting a non Aus owned company so they can pay there managers/ceo millions of dollars a year in wages and send a profit back to the U.S

[siberianhusky]

LOL Canada just spent/loaned a pile of money bailing out GM, Now GM is closing Canadian assembly lines in thanks for the Canadian taxpayer bailing them out.
Would have made no difference to Canada if we had let them fail!
Come on Asian auto makers build me a 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4! I need a real truck not some yuppie toy grocery getter!