In case you hadn't noticed, there's a mass migration underway in the autoindustry. Whether they sell luxury SUVs or mainstream sedans, car companies of all stripes are heading south.

Many are already there -- and have been for years. Hyundai has a base of operations in Alabama, while its sister, Kia, maintains a shop across the state line in Georgia. Volkswagen already does heaps of business in Tennessee, and it's planning to expand. Another VW brand, Porsche, has a home base in Atlanta, and Nissan produces vehicles in Tennessee and Mississippi. 

Within the past year or so, the rate of migration has picked up. Mercedes-Benz, which already has a major facility in Alabama, decided to move its U.S. headquarters to Atlanta. Jaguar Land Rover may settle in the Peach State, too. And let's not forget Toyota's high-profile move from its longtime home in California to Plano, Texas (which may or may not be the South, depending on whom you talk to).

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