當奧迪遇上沃爾沃 跨界車的跨國戰爭
Audi has been the scrappy underdog fighting its way to the top of the premium market.
With Audi having arrived as an elite luxury automaker, it faces Volvo as the new kid intent on forcing its way back into competition. The two automakers are positioned for a skirmish: Each is introducing an impressive, new large crossover aimed at roughly the same affluent buyers.
現在，已經躋身豪車製造商第一陣營的奧迪，與試圖重返高端市場的小老弟沃爾沃狹路相逢。兩家廠商註定將發生一場遭遇戰：它們都將推出一款令人過目不忘的大型跨界車，目標羣體均是購買力相當的富裕消費者。The new Q7 from Audi is a revised version of its current popular crossover, featuring a new design language that will be evident on all new Audi models and a lighter structure due to expanded use of aluminum instead of steel. Q7 will weigh 716 pounds less than the model it replaces, with a distinctive grille that differs noticeably from its predecessor.
新款奧迪Q7是對當前熱賣款的改良版，採用了即將被奧迪所有新款車型使用的全新設計語言。由於它更多地使用鋁材代替鋼材，新款奧迪Q7的結構更加輕巧。與舊版相比，新版Q7的重量要輕716磅，還擁有與老版大不相同的格柵。
Volvo, the Swedish automaker that has been owned since 2010 by Chinese automaking conglomerate Zhejiang Geely Holding Corp., has redesigned XC90 for the first time in a decade. Previously, Ford Motor Co. F -1.33% owned Volvo.
另一方面，瑞典汽車製造商沃爾沃對XC90車型進行了十年來的首次重新設計。自2010年起，沃爾沃就屬於中國汽車製造企業浙江吉利控股集團。而在之前，該公司爲福特汽車公司所有。Since Geely’s acquisition, Volvo sales have withered in the U.S. while the brand has gained popularity in China. Volvo executives, taking an unconventional strategy, have decided to beef up Internet marketing and sales while reducing the number of auto shows where the new model will be shown. XC90 will be on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in early January, in Geneva in March and in Beijing in April.
自從被吉利收購以後，沃爾沃在美國的銷量便持續走低，但在中國卻積累起了人氣。沃爾沃的管理層採用了非傳統的戰略，決定加強網絡營銷和銷售攻勢，減少參加車展的次數。XC90將於2015年1月初在北美國際汽車展粉墨登場，隨後還將在3月和4月參加日內瓦和北京車展。Sales of both models will begin in the U.S. this spring. The stakes are quite high for U.S. Volvo dealers, who have been relatively starved for new products, while U.S. Audi dealers have enjoyed a prosperous run with a spate of new sedans and crossovers, large and small. Both of the big crossovers can carry seven passengers.
兩款汽車都將於2015年春於美國開售。相對來說，美國的沃爾沃經銷商對新款車型更加渴望，因此這次開售對他們來說事關重大。而美國的奧迪經銷商擁有大大小小的新款轎車和跨界車，生意已經紅火了好一陣子。這兩款跨界車都能搭載七名乘客。Prior to its decision to limit auto show appearances, Volvo displayed an XC90 prototype at the Los Angeles show in November. In a review, said the vehicle was full of “high-quality materials that would look right at home inside a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, combined with technology including a massive touch-screen that wouldn’t look out of place in a concept car—think Tesla-Model-S-touch-screen big.”
在做出減少參加車展次數的決定之前，沃爾沃於2014年11月在洛杉磯公佈了XC90原型。在一份評測中表示，XC90全部採用“高品質材料，看起來就像是奔馳S系轎車會採用的那種材料。它還擁有許多高科技配件，包括一塊即便是放在概念車裏也不顯得突兀的大尺寸觸屏——想想特斯拉Model S的觸屏吧，就有那麼大。”Audi, based in Ingolstadt, Germany, gained attention for its current generation of cars with its “Nuvolari” design, featuring an exceptionally large grille, named for the legendary 1950s-era race car driver, TazioNuvolari. Its new styling theme also has a distinctive fascia, whose design resembles a trapezoid.
奧迪總部位於德國因戈爾施塔特，當前旗下多種車型以“努瓦拉里”設計吸引了大量關注。這種設計的特點是擁有極大的格柵，奧迪藉此向20世紀50年代的意大利傳奇賽車手塔基奧o努瓦拉里致敬。新版車型的時尚之處還體現在與衆不同的儀表板上，它的設計看上去就像是一個梯形。Both companies, Volkswagen and Geely, have plans to manufacture their luxury crossovers in emerging markets, VW in Mexico and Geely in China. The strategy will make Q7 and XC90 more cost competitive than they had been as European-built vehicles.
大衆和吉利這兩家公司都打算在新興市場製造他們的豪華跨界車。大衆選定了墨西哥，而吉利則是以中國作爲其製造基地。比起在歐洲生產這類汽車，該策略會讓Q7和XC90在成本上擁有更強的競爭力。“Worldwide, every third Audi will be an SUV by 2020,” Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said in 2013 during a groundbreaking ceremony at the plant near Puebla, Mexico. “The new Audi plant in Mexico will make a major contribution to that.” Audi builds its smaller Q5 SUV—or crossover, if you like—in China as well.
在2013年墨西哥普埃布拉工廠的奠基儀式上，奧迪首席執行官魯珀特o施泰德表示：“到2020年，全球範圍內每三輛奧迪車中，就有一輛是SUV。奧迪在墨西哥的新工廠將爲這一計劃做出重大貢獻。”奧迪也在中國生產了小型的Q5運動型多功能汽車——你也可以叫它跨界車。Volvo is taking a big chance by de-emphasizing auto shows, since they are major marketing events for dealers from the surrounding area. If dealers get the idea that Volvo is trying to sidestep them, the tactic could arise their ire to the automaker’s detriment.
沃爾沃精簡車展亮相的次數是冒了很大風險的，因爲車展是周邊地區汽車經銷商主要的營銷活動。如果經銷商意識到沃爾沃正試圖繞開他們，這一戰略可能激起他們的怒火，導致沃爾沃的利益受損。The German/Swedish/Chinese dustup should be lively and worth watching, in terms of proving which models consumers prefer and which marketing techniques prove more effective.
這場橫跨德國、瑞典和中國的競爭將揭示哪種車型更受消費者青睞，哪種營銷技巧更有效。硝煙已起，且讓我們拭目以待。（財富中文網）
