沃爾沃將在美推出中國產轎車

Volvo is bringing Made in China to American drivers. The Swedish carmaker plans to export a roomy, long wheelbase version of its S60 saloon to the US from Chengdu in China, where it operates a factory with its owner and Chinese joint-venture partner Geely.

沃爾沃(Volvo)正在將“中國製造”的汽車送到美國司機的手中。這家瑞典汽車製造商計劃從中國成都向美國出口一款內部較寬敞、軸距較長版本的S60轎車。目前，沃爾沃在成都與它的母公司兼中國合資夥伴吉利(Geely)運營着一家汽車製造廠。

The vehicle, called the S60L, marks a possible turning point for the motor industry, as a mainstream carmaker pilots the long-awaited introduction of Chinese vehicles in the US, the world’s second-biggest auto market — albeit with a European badge.

這款名爲S60L的汽車可能標誌着汽車業的轉折點，它標誌着一家主流汽車製造商開始試行一個備受期待的計劃：向美國引進中國製造的汽車——儘管這款汽車仍頂着歐洲的徽標。目前，美國是全球第二大汽車市場。

“It’s something that’s unique and we’re very proud to be the first,” says Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo’s chief executive, speaking at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

在底特律北美國際汽車展(North American International Auto Show)上發言時，沃爾沃首席執行官哈坎•薩繆爾森(Hakan Samuelsson)表示：“這是十分獨特的經歷。讓我們非常自豪的是：我們是第一個這樣做的人。”

China’s car manufacturers have so far failed to make a dent in the global auto market, despite the fact that it is now more than three decades since Volkswagen set up one of the country’s first big joint ventures. For example, BYD, the electric carmaker backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, had planned to introduce China-made vehicles in the US in 2010, but the plans fizzled out.

自大衆(Volkswagen)在中國創辦首個大型合資企業以來，時間已過去了逾30年。然而到目前爲止，中國汽車製造商仍未對全球汽車市場產生很大影響。比如，曾獲億萬富翁沃倫•巴菲特(Warren Buffett)投資的電動汽車製造商比亞迪(BYD)，曾計劃在2010年向美國引進中國製造的汽車，結果卻不了了之。

Volvo began production of the S60L at the Chengdu plant in 2013, and has capacity to make 120,000 vehicles each year.

沃爾沃於2013年開始在成都的工廠生產S60L，其產能爲每年12萬輛。

The question is whether US consumers are ready for vehicles made in China, which lacks a strong reputation in carmaking despite it being the world’s biggest producer of manufactured goods and boasting industrial prowess in areas from consumer technology to textiles.

現在的問題在於，美國消費者是否爲接受中國製造汽車做好了準備。畢竟，雖然中國是全球最大的製造品生產國，在包括消費高科技產品和紡織品在內的領域，中國也以強大的工業實力而自豪，但是中國在汽車製造領域的名聲並不是十分響亮。

“This is something the industry is going to watch very closely,” says Stephanie Brinley, analyst at IHS Automotive. “We want to understand how consumers feel and are going to react, but right now we just don’t know.”

思邁汽車信息諮詢公司(IHS Automotive)分析師斯蒂芬妮•布林利(Stephanie Brinley)表示：“汽車業對此將極爲關注。我們很想了解消費者的感受，並瞭解他們將會如何迴應，然而目前我們還對此一無所知。”

Volvo says it is simply making best use of the global manufacturing footprint offered by Geely. It stresses the factory equipment, training and employee qualifications are the same whether in Gothenburg or Chengdu.

沃爾沃表示，該公司所做的只是充分利用了吉利提供的全球生產基地。該公司強調，不論是在哥德堡還是在成都，工廠設備、人員培訓以及員工素質都是完全一樣的。

“We are not talking about exporting a Chinese car,” says Mr Samuelsson. “It’s a Volvo. Nobody has said the S60 [made in Genk] is a Belgian car. We know the quality is absolutely the same, if not better.”

薩繆爾森表示：“我們在討論的並不是出口中國轎車。我們出口的是沃爾沃。沒人會說在根克(Genk)市生產的S60是比利時轎車。我們知道的是，這些產品的品質就算不能說是更好，也得說是完全一樣。”

“In the end you have to be a bit humble and accept that the customers are the ones deciding.”

“歸根結底，大家還是應該謙卑一點，讓顧客來做決定。”

Honda sells its Chinese-made Fit car in Canada. But for some US consumers, the Volvo S60L will trigger some uncomfortable associations, according to analysts.

本田(Honda)也在加拿大銷售中國製造的飛度(Fit)轎車。不過，按照分析師的說法，沃爾沃S60L會讓美國消費者產生不好的聯想。

“Many Chinese cars are not ready for American primetime, as we’ve seen some very subpar Chinese vehicles displayed at American auto shows,” says Michelle Krebs, analyst for . But she adds that very few US consumers know — or care — where their cars are made.

網站分析師米歇爾•克雷布斯(Michelle Krebs)表示：“許多中國汽車都沒有做好走入美國‘黃金檔’的準備，儘管我們曾在美國車展上看到過一些十分低檔的中國汽車。”不過，她補充說，美國消費者極少有人瞭解或關心汽車的產地。

Volvo’s S60L, which has sold to about 25,000 customers in China since launch, forms part of the company’s wider plan to resurrect its fortunes in the US.

自推出以來，沃爾沃S60L轎車已在中國出售了2.5萬輛，該款車型是沃爾沃在美國打翻身仗的更大計劃的一部分。

Volvo this month reported record sales of 466,000 vehicles for 2014, thanks to strong growth in the Chinese market, the world’s largest by sales.

由於在中國市場的強勁增長，沃爾沃這個月錄得2014年銷售46.6萬輛的創紀錄銷量。目前，中國是全球汽車銷量最大的市場。

But the US, once Volvo’s biggest market, has been a problem and is now just 12 per cent of sales. The company sold 56,000 vehicles in the US last year, down 8 per cent on 2013.

不過，曾一度是其最大市場的美國對沃爾沃來說卻是個問題。如今，在沃爾沃銷量中美國市場所佔的比例只有12%。去年，該公司在美國的銷量是5.6萬輛，比2013年下降8%。

“Our programme narrowed, so we concentrated on too few cars,” says Mr Samuelsson. “We have to reverse that.”

薩繆爾森表示：“我們收窄了產品計劃，專注生產的非常少的幾類轎車。我們必須改變這種狀況。”

Volvo has put in place a new management team in the US and ramped up its marketing activities in the country.

目前，沃爾沃已經在美國配置了新的管理團隊，並加大了在美國的營銷力度。

Initial volume expectations by Volvo for the S60L in the US are low — about 1,500 a year. More important will be the XC90, a sport utility vehicle, and a new S60 saloon, being launched in Detroit.

沃爾沃對S60L在美銷量的初步預期很低，只有大約每年1500輛。對沃爾沃來說，更重要的車型將會是XC90這款運動型多功能車(SUV)，以及在底特律推出的新款S60轎車。

Mr Samuelsson wants to get the company selling 100,000 vehicles in North America by broadening its product range, part of a plan to reach 800,000 in global sales over the medium term. “We need to grow here faster and this [S60L] is a piece in that puzzle,” he says.

薩繆爾森希望，通過增加產品種類，能讓沃爾沃在北美的銷量達到10萬輛，從而實現在中期內達到全球銷售80萬輛的計劃。他說：“我們需要在北美市場的快速增長，這款（S60L）車型就是這一完整拼圖中的一塊。”

But the importance of the S60L stretches beyond its volumes.

不過，S60L的重要性不止是在銷量方面。

Mr Samuelsson says the car could be followed by other Volvo models made in China for export. Analysts say rival manufacturers may replicate Volvo’s move, including Buick, the General Motors brand that builds its Envision crossover SUV in China’s Shandong province for the Chinese market.

薩繆爾森表示，在S60L之後，沃爾沃還會出口其他在華生產的車型。分析人士表示，包括別克(Buick)在內的沃爾沃對手可能會採取與沃爾沃同樣的舉措。別克是通用汽車(General Motors)旗下品牌，它在中國的山東省針對中國市場生產昂科威(Envision)跨界車。