Chevy Corvette Named Most American Car of 2017
So, most people know that the Corvette is commonly referred to as America's Sports Car because of its iconic history, styling, performance and value. However, did you know that it is also the most American made car of of 2017?
The American University Kogod School of Business has compiled its annual Made in America Auto Index and the Corvette was the top ranked car and placed third overall behind the GM triplets (Acadia, Enclave & Traverse) in first, and the Ford F-150 in second place.
What does the Most American Made index mean? It is more than just being made by an American manufacturer. The index evaluates the domestic content of vehicles sold in the U.S. and takes into account other aspects of vehicle manufacturing that are not accounted for in other measures. Seven criteria are considered, including profit margin, labor, and research and development location, engine, transmission, and body, chassis, and electrical components.
The university considers this index to be important for a couple of reasons, one of which includes economic impact. For example, according to their 2017 report, in 2016 the U.S. auto industry directly employed approximately 2.5 million workers and generated a record 17.5 million units in total vehicle sales, accounting for approximately 3.5 percent of the U.S. GDP. A vehicle’s domestic manufacturing composition plays a key role in determining its overall impact on the American economy.
So, the next time that you hear someone say, “I wonder how many people could have been fed for the money that sports car cost”, you now have the answer. Read more about the 2017 American made index by checking out the report and other information at the sources below.
Sources:
http://www.american.edu/kogod/research/autoindex/index.cfm
