The objective of the paper is，on one side，to analyze the quantitative changes in the national economic structure and in the industrial production during the period 1980-2003，in order to illustrate the nature of the industrial restructuring in Mexico derived from the trade opening，its strengths and weaknesses；and on the other side，to study the impact of the industrial change in the territorial restructuring among the largest cities of the country. The universe of the analysis are the largest 81 cities（55 metropolitan areas and 26 urban areas）. The main results of the paper are：i）the economic and industrial restructuring occurred by globalization is more a quantitative growth than a qualitative change，except the destination of the production，which is now export-oriented；ii）urban competitiveness has been influenced by the change in the locational pattern of the automobile industry and the expansion of the assembly units in cities that previously had obtained advantages for their location，and iii）the de-industrialization of Mexico City is included in the territorial restructuring，but globalization is one of its causes，maybe it is a catalyst.