You know what really Grinds my Gears?

"Axial" (axial)
04/07/2015 at 18:29 • Filed to: Grinds my Gears, Charger

The issue of the Dodge Charger's nationality. Why does the comment section ride the fact that it is built in Canada so hard? What's up with that?

"The Hellcat is Canadian!"

No, no it's not, you nutsack! As a stretch, it's German. In reality, it's still freakin' American because it's the product of an American company!

You don't call the Jetta Mexican and you don't call the G-class Austrian, do you? No! You don't! Because it's stupid!

And that's what grinds my gears.

DISCUSSION (50)

For Sweden > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:33

Does the Hellcat speak French?

Anima > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:33

I was guessing non-synchromesh gearboxes.. But yeah.. you have a point there.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:33

No, the Hellcat is Italian. Because Fiat owns Chrysler.

In all seriousness, I wonder how much of the car's components are "American".

Axial > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 18:33

That would betray it as Quebecois, not Canadian, though even the French would tell you that what they are speaking is not French.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:34

It's now Italian since it's Chrysler is owned by Fiat.

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 18:34

No, but it likes maple syrup and poutine.

f86sabre > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:35

Kinja'd!!!

because this is how they market it. Not that I care. My cars are German, Japanese and American. Bases covered. Canadian cars can't be tolerated though. ;)

Axial > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
04/07/2015 at 18:35

But FCA is not technically Italian, it's British. :O

Hooray corporate shenanigans!

Twism > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:36

I read that in Peter's voice. Good job.

It's a Canadian-built, partly German-engineered sedan sold under an American name by an English automaker using an Italian company's money.

It's multicultural. But then again, a lot of cars are.

Axial > f86sabre
04/07/2015 at 18:37

Which reminds me, I should start referring to Apple as Chinese!

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:38

damn those corporate scumbags..

Axial > Twism
04/07/2015 at 18:39

Almost every car is, so the most consistent metric to go by is where did the company that built it originate. America? Germany? Car is German. Japan? Car is Japanese. Isle of Man? Car is Isle of Manesian.

Axial > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
04/07/2015 at 18:41

Technically not true, since both FIAT and Chrysler are owned by FCA and FCA is British-headquartered. Even then, Chrysler (Jeep, really) has FIAT by the balls. Chrysler goes poof, and their dreams of a triumphant Alfa also go poof (the cynical part of me wants this to actually happen).

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:50

I'm not sure that you realize that Fiat is the one that bought Chrysler, not the other way around, and in the deal created FCA as a way to manage all the sub brands simultaneously.

AM > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:55

In that respect the following cars are also Canadian then, despite being sold under American companies:

- Ford Edge

- Ford Flex

- Lincoln MKX

- Chrysler 300

- Dodge Charger

- Dodge Challenger

- Dodge Grand Caravan

- Chevy Equinox

- Chevy Camaro (production moving to US for 2016).

- GMC Terrain.

ranwhenparked > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:57

I think because of how heavily FCA US leans on Amerigasm imagery in their advertising. Lots of great American-brand cars are, or have been, built in Canada, Mexico, and Australia over the years, and most people haven't had any problems with that. But, when you run a commercial of George Washington using a car built in a Commonwealth realm to take on the British, you open yourself up for a bit of good-natured ridicule. The key there is good natured, don't take it seriously, because the people making those comments don't either.

By the way, it's a car designed in the United States, built in Canada, using a partially German-engineered platform, and made by the Canadian subsidiary of the American subsidiary of an Angl0-Dutch holding company, but carrying an American brand name. Make of that what you will, it's probably most accurate and diplomatic to just refer to it as a "North American" car, if you absolutely must bring geography into it.

ranwhenparked > Axial
04/07/2015 at 18:58

For tax purposes, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is actually Dutch. Incorporated in the Netherlands, headquartered in the United Kingdom, with all of its principal operating subsidiaries in the United States and Italy.

ranwhenparked > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
04/07/2015 at 18:59

Not really, because Dodge is still a historically American brand name, and FCA US LLC is still an American company (albeit wholly owned by an Anglo-Dutch company).

CB > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy
04/07/2015 at 19:00

Because of NAFTA? I'd guess half.

Sweet Trav > f86sabre
04/07/2015 at 19:30

o rly nao?

Kinja'd!!!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > For Sweden
04/07/2015 at 19:34

No... But the GM F-bodies used to when they were built in Quebec!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Axial
04/07/2015 at 19:43

"You don't call the Jetta Mexican"

You don't, but I do!

"and you don't call the G-class Austrian, do you?"

Sure I do... and the G-Class isn't really a Mercedes either. It's actually a Mercedes-Puch. Puch is a name brand used by Steyr-Daimler-Puch who helped develop the original Gelandenwagen:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steyr-Dai…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-…

f86sabre > Sweet Trav
04/07/2015 at 19:48

one of my friend's father has a Bricklin. Interesting car for an interesting guy.

Let's not forget...

Kinja'd!!!

f86sabre > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 19:52

Camero is still built there.

Axial > ranwhenparked
04/07/2015 at 19:53

I was thinking Dutch, but it slipped by me in the first Wikipedia paragraph and I didn't want to put more effort into researching it for correctness. :p

ranwhenparked > Axial
04/07/2015 at 19:55

Kinja'd!!!

Axial > BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest.
04/07/2015 at 19:56

FIAT bought Chrysler because it saw the writing on the wall for itself. Chrysler was bankrupt, but Chrysler had greater income than FIAT and had a foothold in the lucrative US market.

You can simplify the arrangement as Chrysler had potential, FIAT had cash. Without the Chrysler Group companies, FIAT is dead.

The Compromiser > f86sabre
04/07/2015 at 20:17

They have a piece of one (cockpit canopy or windscreen) at the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, On. It's encased in a plastic box. I wanted to touch it. I'm that guy.

The Compromiser > f86sabre
04/07/2015 at 20:18

Camaro is now built in Oshawa, On. Was built in Frenchieville before. Soon to be built in Michigan.

The Compromiser > AM
04/07/2015 at 20:20

You forgot the New Ford GT. It's to be built up here too.

AM > The Compromiser
04/07/2015 at 20:25

Oh yes I forgot to add that, I only included cars that are in current production.

The Compromiser > AM
04/07/2015 at 20:53

Then the Hondas and Toyota/Lexi should be included.

AM > The Compromiser
04/07/2015 at 21:00

I only included cars that are built exclusively in Canada for the North American market.

The Compromiser > AM
04/07/2015 at 21:39

Both build for the NA market. The fact they also build them in other locations shouldn't be germane to the discussion.

f86sabre > The Compromiser
04/07/2015 at 22:10

I am too. I touched the Apollo command module at the U.S. Air Force Museum before they encased it in plastic when I was in college. Had to.

The Compromiser > f86sabre
04/07/2015 at 22:31

we are both that guy! I'm just a major history nut. It's the feel, smell, presence thing for me. I saw a painting of Washington once at Mt Vernon, and I was all "I stood in that exact spot!"

And I am not even a Yankee!

AM > The Compromiser
04/07/2015 at 23:24

I was adding to the OP about cars that would also be Canadian if the Hellcat Charger is. I wasn't going by cars that are built in America, Mexico, etc.

Axial > ranwhenparked
04/07/2015 at 23:40

I'm not mad, just trying to stay in-character for the Peter voice to emerge in heads while reading. :p

It is just weird that this phenomenon is more or less unique to it being an American brand. When the Germans go all-out on the German-ness of their cars, nobody constantly rags about how their cars are assembled in Poland, Mexico, or even the USA more often than they are in Germany.

Axial > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
04/07/2015 at 23:42

Today I learned...

G-class was, honestly, a bad example. I meant to pull one of the US manufactured cars but couldn't think of one off the top of my head.

ranwhenparked > Axial
04/08/2015 at 00:06

The Germans are better at hiding where their stuff comes from. If anything, their customers are even more intolerant of global manufacturing - tell any ML-Class owner their CUV was made in Alabama by Alabamians, they'll either not believe you or be horrified.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > Axial
04/08/2015 at 00:36

I believe the Mercedes M-class is made in the US...

pip bip - choose Corrour > Axial
04/08/2015 at 04:17

Italian-Canadian now (Fiat is Italian , they're made in Canada)

The Compromiser > AM
04/08/2015 at 08:22

So the Civic doesn't count?

AM > The Compromiser
04/08/2015 at 10:04

Honda isn't an American company which is why I didn't include anything other than Ford/GM/Chrysler. I was stating what cars out of the big 3 would be Canadian if people think that the Charger is. The Ford GT was something that should have been in my list but none of the others you mentioned.

The Compromiser > AM
04/08/2015 at 13:04

But the OP was specific about Chrysler and VW. How are asian companies not part of this? I was unaware that VW was American.

AM > The Compromiser
04/08/2015 at 13:13

Do you not read well? I clearly provided cars that are sold under American companies while being built only in Canada which was a reply to the first 2 sentences of the post. My comment simply stated that if the Charger is "Canadian" then the others that I listed would also be Canadian.

VW's aren't built in Canada, hence why I never mentioned them..

The Compromiser > AM
04/08/2015 at 15:35

Sorry, missed the Americentric redirection. Shouldn't have, but did.

AM > The Compromiser
04/08/2015 at 15:41

No worries my friend, we all misinterpret things at times. No hard feelings at all.

Kinja'd!!!

The Compromiser > AM
04/08/2015 at 17:07

Kinja'd!!!

Clino > Axial
07/30/2015 at 16:11

I'm pretty sure Quebec is part of Canada. I mean they're not always happy about it, but unless I missed something on the news last night...