MOTOWN WEST SOUTHLAND IS AUTO CENTRAL IN MANY WAYS.Byline: DANA BARTHOLOMEW Staff Writer Mention autos and many think Motor City. But it is Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, that drives the nation in car design, technology and marketing, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a study released Monday. Southern California serves as the nonmanufacturing mecca for car buffs, with more registered vehicles than licensed drivers. The five-county region also harbors an $86 billion ``hidden auto industry'' that includes the North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. headquarters for eight foreign automakers. ``We don't have an assembly line anymore, but in terms of car fashion and fads we lead the parade,'' said Jack Kyser, senior economist of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Economic Development Corp., author of the report. ``We're definitely Motown West.'' Southern California's love affair with the car now translates into an average of 1.2 cars per driveway -- or 12.8 registered vehicles in the hands of 10.7 million licensed drivers. The Los Angeles region now leads the nation in the number of automotive corporate headquarters, serving as the North American home to such Japanese carmakers as Toyota, Honda and Mazda. In addition to being a major center for marketing, advertising and design, the Southland serves as a test bed and manufacturing center for add-on performance and aftermarket Aftermarket See: Secondary market. aftermarket See secondary market. equipment, according to the report. Tuner shops, parts suppliers, limo conversion services, racetracks, more than 200 car clubs and a full range of Los Angeles-based auto magazines offer premium support to a global auto industry. Though the last car built in Los Angeles rolled off the General Motors plant in Van Nuys in 1992, the Southern California auto industry is worth $86 billion, not including gasoline sales, Kyser said. In comparison, local tourism earns $13 billion, textiles $24 billion, entertainment $30 billion and technology $38 billion. Only international trade, worth $294 billion, earned more. The ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Hueneme handled nearly 10 million vehicles in 2005. ``It's big,'' said Will Berg, director of marketing for the Oxnard Harbor District, which offloads nearly 300,000 cars a year for 12 auto brands, including Jaguar and BMW BMW in full Bayerische Motoren Werke AG German automaker. Founded as an aircraft engine manufacturer in 1916, the company assumed the name Bayerische Motoren Werke and became known for its high-speed motorcycles in the 1920s. . ``If you live in Salt Lake City or Boise, Idaho “Boise” redirects here. For other uses, see Boise (disambiguation). Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the county seat of Ada County and the principal city of the Boise metropolitan area. , and you buy a BMW, it comes through the Port of Hueneme.'' Last year alone, the port shipped $5 billion in cars and contributed $560 million in business to Ventura County and 4,000 high-paying jobs. In love with cars The study, ``The Automotive Industries Automotive Industries, Ltd. (Hebrew: תעשיות רכב נצרת עלית, תע"ר in Southern California,'' focused on Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino San Bernardino, city, United States San Bernardino (săn bûr'nədē`nō), city (1990 pop. 164,164), seat of San Bernardino co., S Calif., at the foot of the San Bernardino Mts.; inc. 1854. counties. ``People here love cars,'' said George Huang, an LAEDC LAEDC Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation LAEDC Louisiana Economic Development Council economist and author of the report. ``Decades ago, people came here because of the freedom this area offered to car enthusiasts -- from outdoor camping to offroading to racetracks. ``This is the living and breathing auto industry. The real money is not in manufacturing, it's in marketing, wholesale distribution and design.'' According to the report: Southern California is a leader in hydrogen fuel cell technology, with General Motors and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in Canoga Park. The Los Angeles area motor industry employs tens of thousands of workers, including 15,000 headquarters jobs, 50,000 manufacturing jobs and 70,000 jobs -- with an average annual salary of $53,000 -- at 1,600 car dealers. There are 12 major auto design studios in the Los Angeles region and two in San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. , including the General Motors Advanced Design, California in North Hollywood. Hottest trends Southern California, home to some of the nation's finest custom carmakers and design schools, is now influencing Detroit and other manufacturing centers. Located in a former bakery, the General Motors Advanced Design Studio has picked up and advanced some of the hottest trends in Southern California's competitive car market. Among its designs: The sexy Pontiac Solstice The Pontiac Solstice is a roadster from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Introduced at the 2004 North American International Auto Show, the Solstice began production in Wilmington, Delaware, starting in mid-2005 for the 2006 model year. roadster and muscular lines to an all-new 2009 Chevrolet Camaro. Its team of 50 designers from around the world also introduced the GMC GMC See: Guaranteed Mortgage Certificate PAD -- an urban loft on wheels that won a best-design award at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year. . Its current designs now look toward 2020 with alternate fuel technologies. ``Even though we're a small studio in California, we offer an alternative voice for what's happening in Detroit, the mainstream and an alternative voice for each GM brand,'' said Frank Saucedo, director of the Advanced Design, California, studio. ``Designers respond to their environment,'' he said. ``California, and this area in particular, I believe, will help my designers be more creative.'' dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3730 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) Frank Saucedo, director of the General Motors 5350 Advanced Design -- California, stands by a California Camaro show car theme model that his studio worked on. David Sprague/Staff Photographer Box: BY THE NUMBERS SOURCE: Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation |
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