RAM 1500 V6 8-speed test.

[JasG]

Here's a fresher link for those stats, since yours is from 2010. The Cars.com American-Made Index - Cars.com
So Ford went up to 60% in 2011, and then up to 75% domestic content this last year. The F150 is in second place among all vehicles. The only other truck in the top ten is the Tundra at number 7.

Quite a bit different than what was posted earlier. Thanks for the update.

Ford has actually closed a few of there Mexican assembly plants, don't know if they are done yet, but all were going to be closed (this could have changed). I think they still make engines in Mexico, and I believe one of those is the current Diesel in the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. I know some other parts plants are still running from what I have read. They have also brought some work back here from China and Europe.

Why Ford Is Adding Thousands Of New U.S. Manufacturing Jobs

Ford Motor Co. has a pretty nice holiday gift for the U.S. economy and job market: The company plans to invest $6.2 billion to expand its U.S. manufacturing base, a move that will help it save 3,240 existing jobs and add another 12,000 positions by 2015.

A large portion of the of the investment will go into the automaker's home state of Michigan, which will see the addition of 2,350 new jobs.

"These investments, many of which are already under way, will ensure our southeast Michigan manufacturing facilities can support our aggressive growth plans," said Jim Tetreault, the Ford vice president in charge of North American manufacturing.

Ford's investment in additional U.S. manufacturing will cover an array of auto parts as well as vehicle assembly plants. In the Detroit area, that includes an axle plant, a stamping facility and two assembly lines. The Michigan Assembly Plant has become the home base for an array of high-mileage models including the new Ford Focus Electric battery car.

This has been going on for a while with Ford, along with Caterpillar, Deere, Navistar and a few other companies bringing jobs back to the USA.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Ford has actually closed a few of there Mexican assembly plants, don't know if they are done yet, but all were going to be closed (this could have changed). I think they still make engines in Mexico, and I believe one of those is the current Diesel in the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. I know some other parts plants are still running from what I have read. They have also brought some work back here from China and Europe.

Why Ford Is Adding Thousands Of New U.S. Manufacturing Jobs

This has been going on for a while with Ford, along with Caterpillar, Deere, Navistar and a few other companies bringing jobs back to the USA.

High gas prices are to thank for this and in many ways a good thing. It makes building overseas not so enticing when you factor in transportation cost.

We are seeing lots of this in Indiana, the second biggest auto manufacturing state behind Michigan. Another benefit is if there is a quality issue it can be sorted out in days versus weeks due to long shipping times.

Chris

 

[JasG]

High gas prices are to thank for this and in many ways a good thing. It makes building overseas not so enticing when you factor in transportation cost.

We are seeing lots of this in Indiana, the second biggest auto manufacturing state behind Michigan. Another benefit is if there is a quality issue it can be sorted out in days versus weeks due to long shipping times.

Chris

High gas is one part, but I don't think the most important, Dodge, GM and GE among others are still shift work overseas. Labor issues overseas, unions in Europe, currency exchange rates (Cat and Deere started 12-15 years ago with this trend long before high gas was an issue), quality issues, in Mexico drug crimes, China labor costs are rising and unrest is growing. I'm very involved with manufacturing (was a manufacturing engineer for 6 years) and my current employer has plants here and overseas. Even auto plants here owned by Honda and other export cars, to what degree I don't know.

China not only are people getting fed up with pollution but they have created a monster with things they have done. They have too much construction capacity to the point they have built cities with no one to live in them. Search for China ghost cities and you can find out more. Basically creating work just for the sake of work. Also the one child policy has lead to best estimates are 20-50 million males with no females ages 15-40. This creates a climate where people can not raise a family. If you have no family, no one to take care of you later in life and no hope. The government has gotten less business friendly in the last few years.

I do expect this trend to continue, to what degree I do not know.

I did read Chrysler may manufacture this 8 speed here under agreement with ZF, but haven't heard for sure just yet. Possibly in Kokomo, Indiana.

I found one of the stories I remember on this. Seems ZF is also going to make the transmissions and the new 9 speed here in Greenville, SC.
http://www.allpar.com/mopar/transmissions/ZF8.html

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yes, its in Kokomo. Big news here.

Chris

 

[HHR]

220 lb-ft of torque at 5900 rpm! I wonder how many gears it drops when you meet a car on a two lane road.

 

[Diamondpilot]

220 lb-ft of torque at 5900 rpm! I wonder how many gears it drops when you meet a car on a two lane road.

Yep, they like to scream.

Chris

 

[Dmace]

220 lb-ft of torque at 5900 rpm! I wonder how many gears it drops when you meet a car on a two lane road.

Believe it or not, it doesn't take 800 lb.ft. to keep a vehicle moving. You only need that to sell them...

Yep, they like to scream.

Chris

Well built engines do.
At least it won't be lifting heads and blowing spark plugs at 5,900...

I wish they had posted the dyno graph to show where the power starts to come on.