寶馬將推低價新車型專供中國市場

FRANKFURT — The German automaker BMW said Wednesday that it would significantly expand its operations in the fast-growing Chinese market, doubling the number of models it produces there and extending its alliance with a local partner, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings.

法蘭克福——德國汽車製造商寶馬(BMW)週三表示，將在迅速發展的中國市場大幅度擴大經營規模，把在中國本地生產的車型增加一倍，擴展和中國本地合夥人華晨汽車集團控股有限公司的業務聯盟。

The expansion plans were further confirmation of China’s growing importance for the major automakers, a group that also includes Volkswagen, Toyota and General Motors.

此次擴展計劃進一步確證了中國對主要汽車製造商日漸增長的重要性，這些製造商還包括大衆(Volkswagen)、豐田(Toyota)和通用(General Motors)。

BMW said it would increase the number of models it produces in China to six from three, including a new, lower-price model positioned below the company’s flagship 3 Series and designed specifically for China. And during the next two years, BMW will increase capacity at two Chinese factories, both in the northeastern city of Shenyang, to 400,000 vehicles per year, from 300,000.

寶馬錶示，將把其在中國生產的車型增至六款，其中包括一款特地爲中國市場設計的低價新車型，其定位比該公司的旗艦車型寶馬3系要低。接下來的兩年裏，寶馬會把中國國內兩座車廠的產能從目前的年產30萬輛，提升至40萬輛，這兩座工廠均位於東北部城市瀋陽。

While lucrative, China is also a highly competitive market, with dozens of domestic brands, pushing automakers like BMW to more closely tailor their products to local demands rather than simply copying cars designed for Europe and the United States.

中國市場利潤豐厚，不過那裏的競爭也極爲激烈，參與競爭的還有數十家本土品牌，這就促使寶馬等汽車製造商更緊密地結合本地需求設計產品，而不是簡單地把他們爲歐美市場設計的車型照搬到中國。

“We are strengthening our focus on meeting the needs and aspirations of our Chinese customers,” Friedrich Eichiner, the chief financial officer of BMW, said at a news conference in Beijing, according remarks provided by BMW.

“我們正在加強對中國客戶的關注，重點是滿足他們的需求和願望，”根據寶馬提供的評論，寶馬首席財務官弗里德里希·埃希納(Friedrich Eichiner)在北京的一次新聞發佈會上這樣說。

China’s growing layer of well-off consumers has been a boon to German high-end carmakers like BMW as well as the Audi unit of Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz from Daimler. China has become such an important market for the Germans that any economic hiccup there is quickly felt back home.

對於像寶馬、大衆旗下子品牌奧迪(Audi)和戴姆勒(Daimler)旗下子品牌梅賽德斯-奔馳(Mercedes-Benz)這樣的高端汽車製造商來說，不斷擴大的中國富裕消費羣體一直是一大福音。

BMW, based in Munich, sold 225,000 cars under the BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini brands in China during the first six months of 2014, including vehicles manufactured outside China. That was a 23 percent increase compared with the same period a year earlier. China has surpassed the United States as BMW’s largest market.

2014年上半年，總部位於慕尼黑的寶馬集團旗下子品牌寶馬、勞斯萊斯(Rolls-Royce)和寶馬迷你(Mini)的在華總銷量達到了22.5萬輛，其中包括了在中國境外生產的進口車。與去年同期相比增長了23%。中國已超越美國，成爲寶馬在全球規模最大的市場。

BMW produces cars in China under a joint venture with Brilliance Auto. The partnership agreement, which would have expired in 2018, will be extended until at least 2028, Mr. Eichiner said. The dealer network for BMW and Mini cars will also be expanded to try to reach customers in smaller cities, he said, without giving figures. The company currently has 430 BMW and 97 Mini dealerships in China.

在中國，寶馬是通過與華晨汽車集團成立的一家合資企業生產汽車的。埃希納表示，雙方的合作協議將於2018年到期，但協議至少會被延長至2028年。他還說，寶馬和迷你的經銷商網絡也將擴大，以爭取較小城市的消費者。但他未給出數字。目前，該公司在中國有430家寶馬經銷商和97家迷你經銷商。

In a response to concerns about air pollution in China, BMW said it would also put more emphasis on hybrid and battery-powered cars. The company will begin selling its i3 and i8 battery-powered models in China in September. And before the end of the year, BMW will begin selling a plug-in hybrid version of its 5 Series, the best-selling of its models in China.

在迴應對中國空氣污染的擔憂時，寶馬錶示自己也將更加重視混合動力和電動汽車。該公司將於9月在中國開售i3和i8電動車型。在今年年底前，寶馬將開始銷售插電式混合動力的5系車型，該系列是在中國賣得最好的車型。

In addition, BMW said it would team up with Chinese real estate companies to install charging stations in residential areas.

此外，寶馬還表示將於中國的房地產公司合作，在住宅區安裝充電站。

“China has the potential to become the world’s largest market for new-energy vehicles,” Mr. Eichiner said.

“中國有成爲全球最大的新能源車輛市場的潛力，”埃希納說。

Other new models, to be introduced in the next few years, will include a car described by BMW as “functional” and aimed at Chinese families. BMW will also introduce a version of its X3 crossover designed for China.

將於未來幾年推出的其他新車型將包括一款被寶馬描述爲面向中國家庭的“功能型”汽車。寶馬還將推出一款爲中國設計的X3跨界車車型。

The premium car market is seen as particularly promising in China and other emerging markets, like India, because of the rising number of wealthy people. In China, BMW, as well as makers like Audi, sells elongated versions of its vehicles, with extra legroom in the back seat because many Chinese owners have drivers and ride in the back.

因爲富人日漸增多，中國和印度等新興市場的高檔車市場尤其被寄予厚望。在中國，寶馬和奧迪等汽車製造商也銷售加長版車型，在後座增加伸腿的空間，因爲許多中國車主有司機，自己坐在後面。