[Wrangler JL News]

Every year for the past 11 years, Cars.com releases its American-Made Index (AMI), which is a list of light-duty passenger vehicles largely assembled in America and this year the Jeep Wrangler sits at number one.

Built at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Toledo assembly plant in Ohio, the Jeep Wrangler along with 120 other models were ranked based on five factors: assembly plant location, domestic-parts content percentage, U.S. factory employment, engine origin and transmission origin.

Unsurprisingly, three Jeep models had some of the highest of domestic parts content numbers in this year’s lineup: 74% for the Wrangler, 75% for the Wrangler Unlimited and 70% for the Cherokee. That’s because all of its engines and nearly all of its transmissions are built in the US.

Also noted was a manufacturer’s labour force and starting this year AMI will take into account each automaker's direct U.S. factory employment relative to its sales footprint. Jeep most likely scored quite high in this category as well considering the Toledo assembly plant’s employment of around 5,000 full-time workers not to mention the Cherokee that’s built at a plant in Illinois.

"The Wrangler, as a descendent essentially of the military Jeep that helped the Allies win World War II, had pretty good American credentials to begin with," Cars.com executive editor Joe Wiesenfelder said. "It seems to go even deeper than that."

 

[Jeepernator]

Honestly couldn't care less that a majority of the Wrangler is made in U.S. aside from the fact that delivery times are shorter compared to imports and that parts will be more accessible when needed. Good news for JL buyers once it's out because the waiting period is generally the most painful part of a new car purchase.

 

[Principal Skinr]

Honestly couldn't care less that a majority of the Wrangler is made in U.S. aside from the fact that delivery times are shorter compared to imports and that parts will be more accessible when needed. Good news for JL buyers once it's out because the waiting period is generally the most painful part of a new car purchase.

I care a great deal about it, and I think it is great. It is an American icon, so it should be this way. I'm glad FCA is keeping it this way. Their CEO seems to get it.

 

[JeepFan]

I care a great deal about it, and I think it is great. It is an American icon, so it should be this way. I'm glad FCA is keeping it this way. Their CEO seems to get it.

What matters is that it matters at a decreasing rate to most people, they could care less where its made, so with that comes less of an attachment to be made states-side. As long as it doesn't impact sales, it will happen.

But with production going through a massive automation phase we could see production return to the states.

 

[Principal Skinr]

What matters is that it matters at a decreasing rate to most people, they could care less where its made, so with that comes less of an attachment to be made states-side. As long as it doesn't impact sales, it will happen.

But with production going through a massive automation phase we could see production return to the states.

I think it matters to more people than some think. It mattered a great deal in the presidential election. Most people I know prefer to see more manufacturing in the US. People raised **** when FCA floated the idea of producing the JL in Canada.

 

[Jeepernator]

Really depends on your beliefs, some don't care and some do. Though I think it's only a matter of time until Jeep outsources more and more of the Wrangler's components due to globalization. The younger generations just doesn't seem to care as much as far as I can tell.

 

[Johnson]

That's typically it, the older generations do feel a lot more strongly about things like these whereas the younger generations don't because it really just doesn't concern them. Once we get a good product at the end of the day, that's essentially all that matters to me at least.

Some people feel strongly about it because they say it's more jobs for the people in the US but as things get more advanced, these factories are going to require less and less people anyways.

 

[Gina]

A lot of the production process is automated already; welding, painting, some assembly. But what will require a human touch are engine bay assembles because of how small of an area it is. I assume it'll be hard for machines to get around all the cords to bolt things in.

 

[Johnson]

I wouldn't doubt that they will be able to get remedied with technological advancements. Cutting costs is always a businesses priority because less cost = more money. Depending on where you're located and with wages going upwards, it's cheaper to run more machines instead of paying someone to do it.

 

[Gina]

With increasing automation, the American-Made Index will need to change how they score cars because I part of it is currently based on how many jobs it provides.

 

[HighRider]

They had to change the requirement for this year already, if Cars.com went with the original requirements, only three 2017 models would have qualified. Not sure what the difference is between this year and the last, but I'm sure Jeep will be a constant presence on it.

 

[JeepFan]

With increasing automation, the American-Made Index will need to change how they score cars because I part of it is currently based on how many jobs it provides.

Trump should be a big help for that since he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to Americans so that could be a big influence aside from the automation. Already he got Toyota to invest over a billion to the American economy.