 |
| Hmm...why don't Asians like these pimped-out American rides? |
The obvious answer is no, but that's never stopped any US president from trying. From Obama to Trump and beyond, the Asians should but American refrain never stops. For the longest time, the United States has been trying to cajole countries it runs large trade deficits with--especially those it imports a lot of vehicles from--to buy more automobiles "Made in America." The problem has always been that while non-American automakers have built vehicles designed for the US market to be sold Stateside [want a biggie-sized Toyota pickup?], the opposite does not hold true. That is, huge, gas guzzling SUVs built by German, Japanese or Korean automakers sell well in America because that's what Yankee customers desire. There are no mysteries here.
However, the opposite does not hold: American automakers have not really bothered to do the market research as well as the development necessary for selling cars in Germany, Japan and Korea. Witness GM leaving Europe entirely, or American automakers continuing troubles selling models in Japan and Korea. This should be an open-and-shut case of "no s--t": American automakers insist on selling virtually the same behemoth gas guzzlers in Asian markets which aren't particularly suited there given narrower streets, smaller parking spaces, and more highly-taxed fuel.
But don't tell that to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer though, who thinks we're stuck in the 80s when he was last in government:
U.S. efforts to narrow its trade gap will probably focus heavily on the auto industry, meaning the administration may push to increase the number of American-made cars that can be sold in South Korea, Stangarone said. Currently only 25,000 cars that meet U.S. rather than Korean safety standards can be sold in the country, which is a source of tension considering the U.S. has an $18.8 billion trade deficit in vehicles.Remember too that Europeans have no difficulty selling in "protectionist" Asian markets.
Totally retro, Lighthizer dude. Maybe these Asians simply regard US automobile products as unattractive? To me that's the main reason for this so-called trade problem.
