The plant's 1990 closing sapped the town's strength, so another politician might use the moment to rail against Corporations That Turn Their Backs on Our Communities.
Yet the car's body is 25% stiffer than its predecessor because key parts of the frame--like the center post that supports the car body during side collisions and the roof side rail that connects the sides of the roof--are made of ultra-high-strength steel created through a process called hot stamping.