海外汽車巨頭激戰中國市場

After three years of seizing market share from Chinese rivals, foreign auto makers are starting to take it from each other.

繼三年來不斷從中國競爭對手那裏搶佔市場份額之後，海外汽車製造商開始了彼此之間的激烈競爭。

Ford Motor Co., Volkswagen AG and Hyundai Motor Corp. are all poised to end the year with significant market share gains in the world's No. 1 auto market, as they were quick to meet demand for sport-utility vehicles and China-tailored new models.

福特汽車公司(Ford Motor Co.)、大衆汽車(Volkswagen AG)和現代汽車公司(Hyundai Motor Co.)都準備在今年結束時使自己在中國這個全球最大汽車市場的佔有率得到顯著提升。這些公司迅速迎合了市場對運動型多用途車(SUV)和爲中國消費者量身定製的新車型的需求。

At least some of those gains are at the expense of other foreign players. General Motors Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. have all seen their China market share shrink so far this year.

然而，這其中至少有部分市場份額的增加是以其他海外汽車製造商的損失爲代價的。今年截至目前，通用汽車公司(General Motors Co.)、豐田汽車公司(Toyota Motor Co.)和日產汽車(Nissan Motor Co.)在中國市場的佔有率均有所下滑。

Foreign players are chasing drivers like Qian Jin. After months wavering between Ford's Kuga, Volkswagen's Tiguan and Nissan's X-Trail compact SUVs, the Beijing-based freelance photographer decided on a deluxe-edition Kuga to replace his eight-year-old Volkswagen Golf sedan.

目前，海外汽車製造商都在爭奪像錢進（音譯）這樣的中國消費者。繼數月來一直在福特翼虎(Kuga)、大衆途觀(Tiguan)和日產奇駿(X-Trail)這些緊湊型SUV中猶豫不決之後，這位居住在北京的自由攝影師終於決定購買一輛豪華型的翼虎，來替換他已經開了八年的大衆高爾夫(Golf)轎車。

Mr. Qian cited the Kuga's interior features, such as motion sensers that let him open the back hatch by stretching his legs.

錢進稱，作出這一決定的原因是被翼虎的內飾所吸引，比如，運動傳感器使他伸伸腿就能打開後備箱。

'You don't need to push a button,' he said. 'It's a very considerate design.'

他說，你無需按下按鈕，這是非常周到的設計。

Data released Tuesday showed China's overall passenger vehicle sales rose 15% in the period from January to November, with the total market share of foreign auto makers rising to 60% from 58.7% in the year-earlier period. Most major foreign auto makers - even those with flat or decLining market share - posted total sales gains as Chinese drivers continue to favor foreign brands.

週二發佈的數據顯示，今年1-11月份，中國乘用車銷售總量增加了15%，海外汽車製造商的市場佔有率從上年同期的58.7%升至60%。由於中國消費者仍青睞海外品牌，多數主要海外汽車製造商（即便是那些市場佔有率持平或下降的製造商）在中國市場的汽車銷量都實現了增長。

But the companies say competitive pressure is increasing. 'It's critically important for car makers to launch the right products at the right time,' said John Zeng, an analyst at LMC Automotive.

但這些公司表示，競爭壓力正在加大。LMC Automotive分析師John Zeng認爲，對於汽車製造商來說，在正確的時間推出正確的產品至關重要。

In an October interview, GM China President Bob Socia called this year 'a little bit of an off year' in China for the Detroit auto maker as a result of fewer new launches. GM plans to introduce another nine new or refreshed SUVs in China within the next five years, and introduce a new Cadillac model every year through 2016.

通用汽車中國公司總裁蘇瑞博(Bob Socia)在今年10月份接受採訪時稱，對通用汽車來說，由於推出的新車型減少，今年在中國市場的境況較差。通用汽車計劃未來五年內在中國推出九款新型或升級款SUV，並從目前到2016年的每年都推出一款新的卡迪拉克(Cadillac)車型。

'It's totally about having the right product,' Mr. Socia said. Last month, GM said Mr. Socia would retire in January and that his successor, GM China executive Matthew Tsien, would report directly to GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson.

蘇瑞博稱，這完全取決於推出正確的產品。通用汽車曾在上個月表示，蘇瑞博將在明年1月退休，而他的繼任者錢惠康(Matthew Tsien)將由通用汽車首席執行長艾克森(Dan Akerson)直接領導。

According to J.D. Power & Associates, there are 524 car models offered by 96 brands in China, compared with 294 models sold by 45 brands in the U.S. In 2014, car makers are going to launch at least 238 new and upgraded models in China, according to market research firm Ways Consulting Co.

J.D. Power & Associates的信息顯示，目前在中國市場上的96個汽車品牌提供了524款車型，而美國市場上的45個汽車品牌提供了294款車型。市場調研公司Ways Consulting Co.稱，2014年中國汽車市場將至少推出238款新車和升級版汽車。

Most foreign auto makers are so far maintaining and even increasing profitability in China, say analysts, in part by pressuring parts makers and dealers. The companies themselves don't disclose bottom-line data from China.

分析師們認爲，到目前爲止，多數海外汽車製造商都維持、甚至增加了在中國的盈利，一定程度上是通過向零部件製造商和汽車經銷商施加壓力。這些汽車製造商都未披露在中國市場的利潤數據。

At the same time, they are increasing spending on marketing to reach Chinese consumers. Nielsen-CCData, a joint venture between Nielsen and a Chinese data firm, said the five biggest foreign-Chinese auto joint ventures - which include arms of VW, GM, Nissan and BMW AG -- spent a total of 9.5 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) on advertising in the first 10 months of this year, up 8% from a year earlier. This year, GM and Ford sponsored popular TV singing competitions, with the former sponsoring 'The Voice of China' while the latter advertised on 'Chinese Idol.'

與此同時，爲了吸引中國消費者，海外汽車製造商正在加大市場營銷方面的投入。尼爾森公司(Nielsen)與一家中資數據公司成立的合資公司尼爾森網聯(Nielsen-CCData)稱，今年前10個月，包括大衆汽車、通用汽車、日產汽車和寶馬汽車(BMW AG)子公司在內的五家最大的中外合資汽車公司總共投入了人民幣95億元（約合16億美元）的廣告費，同比增加8%。今年，通用汽車和福特汽車都贊助了電視臺的歌唱比賽。通用汽車贊助了“中國好聲音”，而福特汽車成爲了“中國夢之聲”的贊助商。

Ford has seen sales surge by more than 50% to about 840,000 vehicles as of the first 11 months of this year compared with the year-earlier period on the back of an effort to double production capacity there by 2015. The U.S. car maker has said it would bring 15 new models in China between 2011 and 2015 including the luxury brand Lincoln and classic Mustang.

今年1至11月，福特汽車銷量較上年同期飆升50%多，達到約84萬輛，這主要是受該公司有關到2015年將產量提高一倍的努力所支撐。這家美國汽車製造商已經表示，2011年至2015年間將在中國推出15款新車型，包括奢侈品牌林肯(Lincoln)和經典的野馬(Mustang)汽車。

'The Chinese like a little bit more room in the backseat, they like a little bit more chrome on the front,' said David Schoch, president of Ford's Asia-Pacific region, last week in an interview. 'So we are taking into consideration the Chinese wants.'

福特汽車亞太地區總裁蕭達偉(David Schoch)上週接受採訪時說：中國人喜歡後排空間更寬敞，喜歡車頭有更多鉻合金裝飾；所以我們考慮了中國人的需求。

South Korea's Hyundai has focused on mid- and compact-sized vehicles, focusing on China-exclusive models such as the Yuedong, Langdong and Mistra sedans. Analysts said Hyundai's adoption of European-style designs has catered to Chinese consumers' aesthetic. It had a 7.4% share of China's auto market in the first eleven months of this year, up from 7.1% in 2012.

韓國現代汽車一直專注於中型車和緊湊型車，特別是僅針對中國的車型，比如悅動、朗動和名圖(Mistra)轎車。分析師們說，現代汽車採用的歐式設計迎合了中國消費者的審美觀。今年前11個月，現代汽車在中國汽車市場上的佔有率爲7.4%，高於2012年的7.1%。

Toyota and Nissan are still grappling with the fallout of a territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo that led to Chinese consumers last year scorning Japanese brands. Nissan said at a recent auto show in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou that it aims to raise its share of China's auto market to 10% over the medium to long run from less than 6% currently.

豐田汽車和日產汽車仍在努力應對中日領土爭端帶來的影響，爭端去年導致中國消費者對日本品牌避之不及。日產汽車最近在廣州的一個汽車展上說，該公司計劃在中長期內把其在中國汽車市場上的佔有率從目前的不足6%提高至10%。

Niu Yu, a spokesman for Toyota China, said it is on track to meet its goal of selling 900,000 vehicles in China this year and plans to raise the annual sales to more than one million in 2014. 'In the future we will focus on low-cost cars and hybrid vehicles,' he said.

豐田中國發言人牛熠說，該公司有望實現今年在中國銷售90萬輛車的目標，並計劃將2014年年銷量提高至100萬輛以上。他說，未來我們將側重於低成本汽車和混合動力車。

By contrast, Honda has increased its market share to 3.3% in the first 11 months of the year from 3.1% last year as it revved up efforts to incorporate Chinese preference into its models. In September, it launched the Jade, a multi-purpose vehicle with a three-row-seat version for China to cater local preference to roomy space. Honda says it has sold more than 20,000 vehicles as of November.

相比之下，本田汽車今年前11個月在中國市場上的佔有率從去年的3.1%提高至3.3%，這主要是因爲該公司加大努力在旗下車型中融入中國人喜好的元素。今年9月，本田汽車推出了多用途車傑德(Jade)，該款車型特意爲中國市場設計了一個三排座椅版，以迎合中國消費者對車內空間的要求。本田汽車說，截至11月，已經賣出了超過2萬輛傑德汽車。

Not all Chinese auto makers have seen market share declines. Great Wall Motor Co. has seen its market share rise to 3.5% from 3.2% last year on the strength of its dependence on SUVs.

並非所有中國本土汽車製造商的市場佔有率都有所下降。長城汽車(Great Wall Motor Co.)市場佔有率從去年的3.2%提高至3.5%，這主要得益於該公司主打SUV。

While market leaders such as GM and VW have won brand recognition in China after more than a decade of operations, Chinese consumers remain less loyal to auto brands than in the West.

雖然通用汽車和大衆汽車等市場領導者在經過十多年的經營後在中國獲得了品牌認知度，但中國消費者對汽車品牌的忠誠度仍沒有西方國家消費者那麼高。

'In China, auto culture is far from being established. Buying cars is somewhat like taking friends to restaurants. Most of people are unlikely to go to the same restaurant in the first two or three times,' said Mei Songlin, vice president and managing director with J.D. Power China.

J.D. Power中國的副總裁兼董事總經理梅松林說，在中國，汽車文化還遠沒有建立起來；買車就像是帶朋友去餐廳吃飯，頭兩三次，大多數人不太可能去同一家餐廳。

Mr. Mei's survey of second-time car buyers showed that 85 of every 100 people said they prefer a different brand.

梅松林對二次買車人的調查顯示，85%的人說他們會傾向於選擇其他品牌。