dw1

I am much more concerned about potential "Americanization" of the models built here than whether they are built by robots located in Europe, or the same robots located in the US.

I just have bad memories of the US built VW Rabbits vs those built in the Fatherland.

Glyn M Ruck

Benz have long wanted to differentiate American models but never found a viable way to do it. They feel that American likes & dislikes are very different to ROW & that if they design for America they alienate their traditional customer base elsewhere. It was a stated intention with the W204 but they never achieved it. There is minor tinkering on the 204 but nothing of consequence.

Many manufacturers fit overboosted PS to American models & softer seats, springing & damping etc. Benz intended a more aggressive body treatment.

Cairo94507

So much of our opinions are formed by the perceptions created by the auto manufacturers. For example, whenever I have seen pictures of German, Japanese, Italian auto assembly lines, all of the workers are dressed in clean coveralls and the assembly lines look pristine. Contrast that to every photo I have ever seen showing American auto manufacturer assembly lines and you see guys with beards, pony-tails, tank-tops, shorts, etc. I am not saying they are not doing as good a job, it is just the perception those images create for me.

tommy

I think you've seen "Gung Ho" a few times too many.