This book chronicles the divergent growth trends in car production in Belgium and Spain. It delves into how European integration, high wages, and the demise of GM and Ford led to plant closings in Belgium. Next, it investigates how lower wages and the expansion strategies of Western European automakers stimulated expansion in the Spanish auto industry. Finally, it offers three alternate scenarios regarding how further EU expansion and Brexit may potentially reshape the geographic footprint of European car production over the next ten years. In sum, this book utilizes history to help expand the knowledge of scholars and policymakers regarding how European integration and Brexit may impact future auto industry investment for all EU nations.

Autorentext

A.J. Jacobs is in the Department of Sociology at East Carolina University, USA. He is author of Automotive FDI in Emerging Europe and The 'New Domestic' Automakers in the U.S. and Canada.

Inhalt

Table of Contents

Part I: Overview and Background

1. The Beginnings of the European Union and Overview of the Book

2. Car Production and the Four Phases of European Integration, 1958-2017**

Part II: Foreign Carmaker Assembly Plants in Belgium

3. Introduction to Part II: The Early Belgian Car Industry

4. Ford Motor in Belgium
5. General Motors in Belgium

6. A History of Renault Haren-Vilvoorde

7. The Multiple Roads to VW's Audi Brussels in Forest
8. Volvo and Other Foreign Carmakers in Belgium

9. Conclusion to Part II- The Future of the Belgian Car Industry**

Part III: Foreign Carmaker Assembly Plants in Spain

10. Introduction to Part III: The Early Spanish Car Industry

11. Ford Motor in Spain
12. General Motors in Spain

13. Renault Valladolid and Palencia

14. A History of VW's Spanish Car Plants, Part I: 1940-1989 15. A History of VW's Spanish Car Plants, Part II: 1989-2018

16. PSA Peugeot-Citroen's Car Plants in Spain Part I: 1951-1989

17. PSA Peugeot-Citroen's Car Plants in Spain Part II: 1989-2018

18. Conclusion to Part III- The Future of the Spanish Car Industry

Part IV: Future of Car Industry in an Expanding or Brexit EU

19. EU Expansion, Brexit, and Near-term Prospects for European Car Plants