Volkswagen, which has plans for expanding their production efforts in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is one of many automakers who are strongly opposed to President Donald Trump’s idea of imposing tariffs on the auto industry.
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In addition to Volkswagen, Toyota, Volvo and PSA Group have spoken up, as entities with interests on both sides of the ocean. A group that represents American auto dealers has also spoken out against the proposal from President Trump. The seemingly united response comes after Trump tweeted that he would impose levies on vehicles like the BMW or Audi if tariffs against imported steel and aluminum are opposed. These tariffs are currently under discussion in the government sector. Meanwhile, the auto industry waits with baited breath to see if they are next in Trump’s war against imports.
Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson noted that tariffs would impede the company’s plans and efforts to build a plant in South Carolina and manufacture vehicles there that would be exported to Europe. The S60 sedans and XC90 sport utility vehicles that are planned for export are key to over half of 4,000 jobs that Volvo has projected to provide for South Carolina residents.
Meanwhile, German car factories in the US exported 430,000 vehicles in 2017, a little over half of the 804,000 vehicles that they produced, while imports were around 494,000 vehicles, or a 20 percent decrease since 2014.
The possible issue may be that Trump would like to see more US automakers in Europe, as entities like General Motors recently liquidated an entire unit in Germany due to failed attempts to sell Chevrolets in Europe. Ford does have some success overseas, while Dodge and Chrysler do not see much success in marketing overseas since their models are bigger than those that are popular in European countries.
The automakers tend to agree they support free trade, and they hope to see that continue into the future, rather than deal with changes like tariffs and see business suffer as a result.
The tariffs for the steel and aluminum have the potential to interfere with efforts to rework the North American Free Trade Agreement, as Canada and Mexico both have taken issue with the proposed levies that Trump has mentioned but not provided in detail. The agreement needs to be successfully reworked, and concerns are high for the economy in light of the proposals, concerns and outright rejection of certain solutions President Trump has suggested putting into play.
Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.