奥迪在美国销量强势崛起

2014-10-23 14:15:39来源：网络

　　Car buffs love to debate which luxury brand is most prestigious in the cosmos of three-pointed stars, prancing horses and airplane propellers, the last being the symbol denoting current sales champion, BMW.

　　车迷们很热衷讨论的一件事是，在三叉星(奔驰)、跃马(法拉利)和飞机螺旋桨(宝马)这三个豪华品牌中，谁才是最声名显赫的。就目前而言，宝马(BMW)稳坐豪华品牌销量之王的宝座。

　　There’s little argument, however, that Audi and its logo of four interlocking circles boast the most momentum and the biggest business bounce of recent years, a trend the German subsidiary of Volkswagen AG is determined to maintain through 2015. The automaker is tightening its finances ahead of introducing a spate of new models, fuel-saving configurations and a revised design language.

　　但少有争议的一点是，奥迪(Audi)及其环环紧扣的四环标识是近年来增长势头最猛、销售反弹力度最大的品牌。而其母公司大众汽车公司(Volkswagen AG)则决意要在2015年继续保持这股势不可挡的势头。在推出一系列搭载省油配置及具备全新设计语言的新车型前，奥迪正在大力削减成本，严控财务状况。

　　Audi says it will cut $2.5 billion from costs in areas such as purchasing and manufacturing in order to protect profits while spending heavily to expand electric and hybrid drive models, as well as advanced assisted driving and communications technology.

　　奥迪表示，在斥巨资开发全新电动及混动车型，以及先进的辅助驾驶和交通技术的同时，还将在采购和生产等领域削减25亿美元的成本，以提高利润率。

　　A big worry, said Rupert Stadler, CEO, is further tightening of global emissions standards, which potentially create vast new costs beyond the sums invested so far in technologies to minimize fossil fuel consumption. “It is far too early to know if the (consumer) market is going to respond” to new fuel-saving technologies, he said.

　　奥迪首席执行官鲁伯特?施泰德称，公司的一大担忧是，随着全球进一步提高排放标准，可能会让迄今已投入巨资开发、旨在大幅降低油耗的技术成本更高。他说，对全新的省油技术，“现在就看出消费者是否会真正买账实在为时过早”。

　　Audi this year introduced the A3 in the U.S., its smallest and lightest vehicle, which helps it comply with average fleet efficiency required by the U.S. At a combined 33 miles per gallon, it’s slightly more fuel efficient than the larger A4 – but it can be ordered with a diesel engine that achieves 43 miles per gallon in city and highway driving.

　　今年奥迪在美国市场上投放了A3车型。由于它是奥迪家族最小最轻的车，这有助于它达到美国的平均燃油效率要求。它每加仑综合行驶里程为33英里，比体积稍大的A4要省油些——但如果订购柴油引擎版，其城市路况和高速公路综合行驶里程就能达到每加仑43英里。

　　The VW subsidiary in 2011 passed Mercedes-Benz in global unit sales to grab the No. 2 spot among premium brands, behind BMW. This year Audi expects to sell 1.7 million vehicles globally for the first time. But Daimler’s Mercedes unit is pressing hard to regain its position and managed to edge Audi in September by a few thousand cars.

　　2011年，奥迪的全球销量一举超过梅赛德斯奔驰(Mercedes-Benz)，夺得第二的宝座，仅次于宝马。今年奥迪的全球销量则有望首次达到170万辆。但奔驰也毫不示弱，目前正开足马力要夺回自己原有的位置，且9月销量比奥迪要多几千辆。

　　Mercedes has concentrated on creating a younger, more dynamic and fluid look to appeal to younger buyers. The German automaker created a small sedan, CLA, that starts at a retail price less than $30,000 in the U.S., bringing it within reach of less affluent prospects.

　　奔驰一直致力于打造一种更年轻动感、更流畅的外形来吸引年轻车主。它为美国市场打造了一款较小的车型CLA，零售价不到3万美元，使很多不那么富裕的潜在车主不再对奔驰可望而不可即。

　　Responding to Daimler’s challenge, and with dreams of one day catching BMW, Audi is gearing up to launch new models and an updated design language, hints of which were shown this month at the Paris auto show to mostly positive reviews. Next year, Audi will introduce a new A4, Q7 and R8 supercar in the U.S.

　　作为对奔驰挑战的回应，同时怀揣有朝一日赶超宝马的梦想，奥迪正加速推出新车型及全新的设计语言，本月的巴黎车展上这种设计初露端倪即赢得广泛好评。明年奥迪将在美国市场上推出全新的A4、Q7和R8超跑。

　　The performance of Audi, the biggest profit contributor among VW’s several brands, will be key to VW’s stated goal of passing Toyota as No. 1 in sales worldwide by 2018. But with the rising cost of technology and the resurgence of competition, VW now is making the point publicly that that it intends to maintain profitability.

　　作为大众集团旗下最赚钱的品牌，奥迪的业绩对大众号称要在2018年销量力压丰田汽车(Toyota)称霸全球的目标至关重要。但是随着技术开发的成本不断上涨和竞争加剧，大众现在又公开表示要努力保持盈利能力。

　　Helping in that effort will be U.S. dealer franchisees of Audi, who are in the midst of spending a collective $1 billion to renovate and spruce up their stores. Audi sales rose 86% in south Orlando since April, according to Automotive News, after Auto Nation spent $21 million on a new dealership.

　　奥迪在美国的特许经销商将为大众实现这一目标效力，它们已斥资10亿美元重新装修店面，使其焕然一新。据《汽车新闻》(Automotive News)称，在全美汽车租赁公司(Auto Nation)投资2100万美元和奥迪签下新的合作协议后，今年4月以来奥迪在南奥兰多的销量已增长86%。

　　Up-and-coming premium auto franchises like Infiniti and Cadillac GM -2.38% have watched and taken notes from Audi. Studying and imitating aren’t the same as matching, which is what the wannabes have in mind.

　　而像英菲尼迪(Infiniti)和凯迪拉克(Cadillac)这样雄心勃勃的厂商则一直密切关注着奥迪的动向并潜心学习。当然，琢磨和模仿跟同台竞技可不是一回事，这是那些胸怀大志的人一向了然于心的。

本文关键字: 奥迪在美国销量强势崛起