Legendary German automaker Mercedes-Benz recently began production of the GLC SUV in Beijing, reinforcing the idea that the automaker is becoming less authentically German and more Chinese every year. With a whopping 200,000 GLCs expected to be produced by the end of 2015 in China, yet another new model from Mercedes will have less ties than ever to Germany.Of course, Mercedes isn't the only luxury German car company straying from its legacy as a trusted European automaker.

After all, BMW makes some of its cars in South Carolina. With the establishment of a factory for the GLC in China, Mercedes-Benz somewhat opportunistically places its SUV manufacturing location precisely where sales of the GLA and GLK have been wildly successful. In a press release discussing the production of the new GLC, Daimler boasts, "Beijing follows Bremen as the second GLC production site. The new assembly facilities meet the highest standards of modern production in our flexible and efficient production network." Without a doubt this will lead to large financial gains for the company in the near future, but in the long run, do these decisions dilute the image of German quality?

Or, on the other hand, is it unfair to say that Mercedes is losing touch with its founding roots when we already know that stereotypically American cars like the Dodge Challenger and last-generation Camaro were made in Canada?