Border Drive? Umm... No. Mexico car production reportedly down nearly 40%
Mexico hasn't accounted for nearly as much ink as the U.S. and Canada in recent discussions of the auto industry. But in case anyone was wondering, they're in a big hurt south of the border as well. While the American market's decline in auto sales factors in at about 25% overall, the Latin American Herald Tribune reports that Mexico has seen a 30.6% drop in sales volume.
And that's the best news. Exports from the automaker plants based in Mexico fell 35.5%, and production descended into the deepest hole, posting a 37.7% contraction compared to last year. The economic rebound everyone is saying is here (or really close) should get Mexico's numbers back in line before long – September's production was only down 22% and exports only dropped 18.7%. But until then... ¡Ay, caramba!
[Source: Latin American Herald Tribune | Image: Jose Castañares/AFP/Getty]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
l.i.dave 4:47PM (10/15/2009)
Having your country run by drug cartels doesn't bode well for business.
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Pat 12:23AM (10/16/2009)
@ l.i.dave. - I'm unabashedly pro-American. For Mexico bordering the most technologically advanced country in the world is good, having a neighbor with world class university is good, and of course having reciprocal access to the world largest free market/car market is good... as does having great American companies like Ford come down to Mexico and build world class factories that give Mexicans the chance to earn a decent living making a great product. The list goes on.... all these things Mexicans should be thankful for.
But taking pot shots at Mexico for drug gangs...for reals?
Unfortunately the country to the north (great as it may be) juuuust happens to be home to an unending number of pathetic addicts and casual drug users who don't give a damn where their cash goes. If narco-traffickers have too much sway in Mexico its because for decades the US has done a fine job of funding the drug war...its just been funding the WRONG side! Oh yeah, it's not my business to tell folks whether the second amendment is swell or not, but for Mexico living next to a country where buying a .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle is only marginally harder than buying liquorish is a tad inconvenient when it comes to fighting organized crime.
But hey l.i.dave... I'm SURE you're no hypocrite right? Since fixing this problem is pretty much in the hands of the US of A I bet you're lobbying your congressman fast and furious to change US drug policy or volunteering with your local DARE program to keep your neighborhood kids off drugs right?...RIGHT!??
lupejohnson 1:40AM (10/16/2009)
@ Pat +1
Nozferat 2:27AM (10/17/2009)
News for you Pat...the US is not the most technologically advanced. One trip elsewhere and you soon realize how behind we are. Sorry. Making bombs to kill people doesn't count.
Pat 7:38PM (10/17/2009)
@Nosferat- I just spent two years in Shanghai…sure the Maglev is impressive, but it was built by Germans. So is Europe more technologically advanced than the States? (and I have nothing against Europeans…)
Well, the Americans still seem to rack up Noble Prizes in Science at an astonishing rate:
http://nobelprize.org/
And according the to the best British and Chinese rankings they still dominate the world’s best Universities:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article4910798.ece#
http://www.arwu.org/rank2008/ARWU2008_A(EN).htm
Google, GE, IBM, Intel, Apple, Boeing, Microsoft, Cisco, Abbott, Merck, Oracle, Lockheed, Bristol-Myers, Dell, Amgen, 3M, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Qualcomm…to name a few are all American companies…what am I missing?
I bet you are checking out Autoblog on machine with Intel or AMD processors, on an Apple or Windows OS, through the internet (does DARPA ring a bell?)
…ooh...the whole “bombs” thing…well they must be doing SOMTHIMG right technologically and economically to be able to outspend pretty much every country combined.
Now I bet you don’t much care for HOW Americans use their military, but I think that outside of the scope of Autoblog…
Nozferat 3:05AM (10/27/2009)
That's nice of you...I lived in Europe for half my life...I know what other places have and don't have and what we have and don't have.
Best universities you say? Wonder who most of the faculty are in these universities and where they came from? I wonder what percentage of grads in the universities are overseas students? Geez...when I was doing my master's degree, most weren't American I can tell you that...and even less were in the PhD programs...how ironic.
Nobel prizes? They're handing them out like candy...so what does that prove?
Yes Google, Oracle, etc....let's have a show of hands where most of the workers in these "technologically" advanced companies come from? China, India, Europe, Russia....whoops.
It must be nice to think in your world that YOU are technologically advanced when most of the stuff made and designed is from people overseas working here. Oh the irony.
Well...at least when it comes to money and power...sure...you lead the way.
Kumar 4:56PM (10/15/2009)
So, basically as bad as US sales if you take out Cash for Clunkers figures over the last year.
Can anyone comment on the car sales setup for our neighbors to the south? Are the dealers an integral part of the local tax base as they are here? Cars/dealer sales ratios more like Honda or more like GM? Trying to get an idea of how it's hurting local economies.
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john gonzalez 2:44AM (10/16/2009)
http://es.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/ventas-septiembre-2009-mexico/ That's the link for the mexican auto sales in September , it's autoblog en espanol.
CarChat24 5:01PM (10/15/2009)
I think that no matter where you live, it boils down to marketing techniques. If you market yourself enough, people will know you're there. Feed them, they'll come. I know, of course the industry went down the tubes this past year, but that just means marketing techniques needed to be sharpened and strategies changed.
Just my two cents.
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Polly Prissy Pants 5:31PM (10/15/2009)
I didn't even know there were any Mexican car companies.
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Seminole 5:53PM (10/15/2009)
There aren't. Multi-national corporations like VW, Ford, GM, etc. have plants there that build cars for the North American market (sometimes other markets as well). That doesn't mean there are Mexican car companies.
Polly Prissy Pants 6:37PM (10/15/2009)
That was supposed to be a joke based on underlying social commentary about oursourcing and the vast industrial country that Mexico is not. Guess it can't all be A material.
Nozferat 6:55PM (10/15/2009)
Which makes the decision to make the new Fiesta down in Mexico an even bigger fkup by Ford. I'd hate to be the poor executive bastard who needs to go down to Mexico to put up shop down there for the new car.
What the hell are these idiots thinking? Is it really that hard to put your own people to work and give them jobs in the USA?
God forbid.
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Adrian 8:02PM (10/15/2009)
No matter how bad the automakers see it in Mexico do worse if the USA, besides the recovery will be faster here.
If there is a Mexican brand called car Mastretta http://www.mastrettacars.com/
Hi from Mexico
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etesadecv 8:27PM (10/15/2009)
I just read all the comments and I see the Bush era of hate and Ignorance, is just because we only think thet we are the best of the world in the car industry, if that was truth, GM doesn´t need to sell or close brands, same as Chrysles now italian, so if we still thinking like that Mexico, like other countries India, Brasil etc.. can give us a big surprise like the next olimpic city that will be in Rio and not in Chicago.. PLEASE SHOW TAHT WE ARE GREATER THAT OUR IGNORANT COMMENTS.
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Nozferat 5:55PM (10/16/2009)
What a stupid idiotic response.
Why the hell should I not have a American car built in the America? If Americans are so concerned about their stupid jobs, then this is a clear start to get things back on course.
If Mexico and Mexicans are so concerned about their economy, then perhaps they should get their freaking act together and improve their country...not keep running away from it.
I don't care if it's the US or Mexico, if people are complaining about losing jobs, they need to keep those jobs in their respective countries. But of course, let's thank the corporations for not giving a sh^t about such things and also blame ourselves for being too freaking greedy to pay more for locally built and made products.
Luso 4:01AM (10/16/2009)
Bye, bye Mexico...
...Heeeellooooo BRICs!
http://www.carnorama.com
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