What makes an American car an American car?

[Brandon]

Your BMW M5 has a Towing Capacity of 3086 pounds...
Your Ford F250 a Towing Capacity of 10000 pounds...

My question is how come the 400 Hp BMW cannot out pull the Ford...

And the ford gt can tow how much?
Take the engines out of the vehicles all together and put them on an engine dyno...
Which one makes more ponies?

And back to the original question. what makes an American car American?

 

[Yoder]

All this focus on automakers, what about this "American" company?

The most profit of any company ever, and they can't even put Americans to work in their factories. This is why we need tariffs on foreign manufacturers and taxes on "American" companies that offshore.

Keep it American or face the consequences.

 

[gunowner930]

Your BMW M5 has a Towing Capacity of 3086 pounds...
Your Ford F250 a Towing Capacity of 10000 pounds...

My question is how come the 400 Hp BMW cannot out pull the Ford...

low end torque, gearing, suspension like churchmouse said. The strength of the frame is also an issue. Apples to oranges comparison. The M5 is a sport sedan, the F250 is a rugged workhorse.

As far as the engine comparisons, power is power. People can whine all they want about small engines making more power than big engines, but these high-end DOHC engines are not cheap. The Z06 Vette uses a pushrod 427 ci LS7 making 500+ hp. The car is stupid fast for a production car, and generally embarasses anything within $50k of its relatively modest price tag (ZR1 Vette excluded).

 

[gunowner930]

And the ford gt can tow how much?
Take the engines out of the vehicles all together and put them on an engine dyno...
Which one makes more ponies?

And back to the original question. what makes an American car American?

Which engine costs more? displacement is a cheaper way of making power.

 

[Brandon]

Which engine costs more? displacement is a cheaper way of making power.

Costs more? Are we using the Ford 5.4 and BMW 4.9?
BMW will cost more...

 

[gunowner930]

Costs more? Are we using the Ford 5.4 and BMW 4.9?
BMW will cost more...

That's my point. You make the point that the BMW 4.9 V8 makes more power than the Ford 5.4 V8. I'm assuming that the 5.4 is a pushrod engine (much cheaper than a DOHC BMW engine). You could swap camshafts and install aftermarket heads in the 5.4 and make significantly more power than the 4.9 while probably staying under the cost of a 4.9 engine. but in a F250 you don't need top-end hp

 

[Brandon]

That's my point. You make the point that the BMW 4.9 V8 makes more power than the Ford 5.4 V8. I'm assuming that the 5.4 is a pushrod engine (much cheaper than a DOHC BMW engine). You could swap camshafts and install aftermarket heads in the 5.4 and make significantly more power than the 4.9 while probably staying under the cost of a 4.9 engine. but in a F250 you don't need top-end hp

So what makes an American car American?

 

[jeremy]

So what makes an American car American?

See Post #8...

 

[dwh79]

My Criteria for American Made Car.

1. Ford is HQ is in Detroit which is in the USA.
2. It is assembled here so maybe not all Fords are American
3. Did not have ownership taken away and just given to others and force bancruptcy and allow there creditors to be losers.

Concerning ford getting tax breaks and things such as that. That is not a bailout that is a smart business taking advantage of all loop holes and free or cheap money they can get there hands on. How many companies get Tax breaks to locate there businees one place or another. Do I wish Ford was as American as they use to be yes but They are the most American made car in my opinion right now.

Also if you want all American Ithaca Guns has done this not so sure on most recent owner but the Marshalls who brought them to Ohio felt this was very important they used basically all American made parts. So for a gun that is as good as Remington wingmaster but truly is all American I paid double a wingmaster. So how many people will truly support America if we are not the cheapest. Welcome to a Global economy. Thank your local Union Member as well as your local goverment official that has allowed this to get so out of hand. The foreign cars that are made her pay lower wages than the big three for some of there positions since they are non union as well as to save on the shipping cost. So they maybe half American but not 100% Where as a Big three chooses cheap labor that may be across the border on some plants but they also are not shipping cars across the ocean.

Sorry if disconnected thoughts just how my mind works.

(By the way not anti union just the way I see it as the sacrifice to make the big wages some had to lose as not everyone can be afforded to make the big bucks eventually someone has to look for the smarter way to spend the money)

 

[gunowner930]

So what makes an American car American?

IMO, if it has American badge then it is an American car. There are exceptions like the Dodge Stealth which is Japanese design with a Dodge badge. People often associate big cubic engines with American cars because the Europeans and Japanese typically do not use bigger engines to make more power.

 

[dwh79]

Although a few older european cars went for the bigger engine. Jag comes to mine I believe they had few v-12's

 

[gunowner930]

Although a few older european cars went for the bigger engine. Jag comes to mine I believe they had few v-12's

number of cylinders and displacement are not the same. Most of the Jaguar V12s were 5.3 and 6.0. The V10 in the last Dodge Vipers were 8.4 V10s. There are 7.0 V8s in Z06 Corvettes

 

[jimmyw86]

American cars are from the big 3 IMO. One can argue this all you want. My german designed, canadian assembled Dodge Charger is still more american than any Toyota, Honda, or Subaru.

Every person will have a different answer for you though. People will flame me for my answer.

The Subaru Legacy, Outback and Tribeca are built here in Lafayette. The Toyota Camry is built here in Lafayette as well and theres a Honda plant here. They employ over 11k altogether and most of the earnings stay here in Indiana. Thats good enough for me.

 

[Ogre]

Ill play!!!!
how about a vehicle produced by the "big three", assembled in the USA, comprised of over 50% domestically produced/sourced parts...

 

[lrahm]

I haven't read all of the posts but one would have to assume it's all where the profits go to. Sure Toyotas are made here in Indiana and many of the American vehicles are made or assembled elsewhere. It is all where the final dollar, yen, mark/euro ends up at. It would be great if all of our vehicles were manufactured here. Competition has eliminated that. Corporations have to outsource to remain competitive or else close. I will have to settle for several thousand people employed here in southeren Indiana. That's money in their pocket and food on the table. That's not counting many other auto plants across the states. I still don't like it.

 

[slackerisme]

I disagree with that.

A couple of the best american motors ever made were 6 cyl.

They were still ghey.

 

[Ogre]

They were still ghey.

Um, Buick 3.8l Turbo.. "ghey"??? you're either trying to be contrary or you havn't a clue...

 

[jimmyw86]

Love those cars. Lots of turbo lag but when it kicks in, your in for a treat.

 

[cotero82]

All my vehicles have been American made, all V8s

 

[lrahm]

I have a 2004 V-6 Mustang. It's fairly peppy but I get 20 mpg in the city and about 30 on the highway. I am very happy with it.