US Pickup Supremacy About To End?

Ever wondered why American pickups were just about the only ones in the segment? Well, according to experts, their domination might be about to end.

In the US, there is a so-called "chicken tax" which basically applies a 25% tax on every imported pickup and commercial vehicle. In order to avoid this taxation, manufacturers were forced to invest in local plants, which was regarded as a good thing since it created jobs for thousands of Americans.

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However, experts agree that such a tax impairs the innovation of Japanese companies, since they face more obstacles when it comes to creating and improving products. Since a new free-trade agreement is being drawn up between America and Asia, this ''chicken tax'' will probably be thrown in the garbage. This would represent a huge opportunity for Asian manufacturers to bring fresh pickups and commercial vehicles to the US, without all the red tape currently associated with the process.

Toyota and Volkswagen have had a lot of success with their small pickups and commercial vehicles around the world. We might finally see the Hilux and the Amarok on our shores, and this might be the beginning of the end for the US-made pickup supremacy.