The debate over whether the U.S. should look to other nations as models of social structures like health care, income equality, or quality of life measures is exigent and heated. Some argue that the U.S. is exceptional and adopting those foreign practices would only serve to diminish us, make us less special. Others claim that there’s nothing the U.S. can’t do and that we are only hindering our progress by adopting that sort of NIMBY philosophy. At one time, the U.S. auto industry was an island unto itself. American cars were always the most brash, expansive and easily identified as representative of their nation of origin. Even when foreign cars started to gain inroads in the American psyche, U.S.-based manufacturers responded with competing models that still were uniquely American. That however, has all changed in the last decade or so. Globalization has taken over auto manufacturing and car makers are generally making models that will sell anywhere, not tailored just for certain markets. That has meant the loss of iconic American vehicles like the Ford Econoline, which the company has replaced with the European model, the Transit. Likewise, all of Ford’s small product is shared across the globe, and cars like the Fiesta, Focus, and Fusion express little difference whether in the U.S., France, or Israel. Fiat is following a similar path in turning Chrysler and Jeep into a true global brand. These efforts seem to dilute the qualities of American cars, making them less unique. Do you see that happening on a broad scale? Is the American auto industry losing its identity? Image: TheThrottle