[tps_title]The U.S. Auto Industry[/tps_title]

Thanks in part to the financial crisis of 2008, General Motors and Chrysler found themselves in dire straits. After the Treasury Department lent the two companies around $80 billion total over four years, they managed to turn things around. Auto sales last year marked their highest point since 2006, while the industry has seen about 500,000 new jobs created since 2009, according to Treasury. The bailout officially ended last December when Treasury sold its last piece of Ally Financial, formerly GMAC. When all is said and done, the auto industry bailout cost taxpayers about $9.3 billion.

Chrysler, by the way, is no longer Chrysler. It merged with Italian automaker Fiat to become Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and is headquartered in London.