For the fourth consecutive year, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles are the leaders of the Made in America Automotive Index produced by American University’s Kogod School of Business.
The Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia together tied for No. 1, while 17 other General Motors vehicles ranked in the Top 10.
The index is authored by Frank DuBois, a global supply chain management expert and professor at American University in Washington, D.C. More comprehensive than other studies of its kind, the Kogod index ranks models based on seven weighted data points including several factors unaddressed by the American Automotive Labeling Act (AALA), the basis for “made in America” automotive studies.
Kogod's method improves on AALA data by incorporating a more comprehensive research methodology, providing consumers with a more accurate view of their vehicle's composition. The Kogod study considers:
1. Profit Margin: location of the automaker's global headquarters
2. Labor: where the vehicle is assembled
3. Research and Development: location of R&D activities
4. Inventory, Capital, and Other Expenses: location of assembly
5. Engine: location of production
6. Transmission: location of production
7. Body, Chassis and Electrical Components
According to the AALA, if 75 percent or more of a car’s parts by value come from the U.S. or Canada, it’s considered a domestic product.
Click here to view the complete 2016 Kogod Made in America Auto Index.
