Hyundai Rolls Out New Sedan
2008年04月08日10:48
现代汽车公司(Hyundai Motor Co.)及其在华合资企业将专门针对中国市场推出一款造型精致的家庭型轿车；眼下这家韩国汽车企业正努力在中国这个全球增长最快的汽车市场上夺回失地。
Hyundai Motor Co. and its Chinese joint-venture partner are rolling out a spiffed-up family sedan made exclusively for China, as the South Korean auto maker seeks to regain its footing in the world's fastest-growing major auto market.
现代汽车和北京汽车工业控股有限公司(Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co.)的合资企业北京现代汽车有限公司(Beijing Hyundai Motors)旗下一家新厂将于周二落成，正是这家工厂将为中国市场生产新款伊兰特悦动轿车。公司高管预计今年这款新车的销量有望达到10万辆。
Beijing Hyundai Motor Co., the joint venture with Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co., will make the Elantra Yuedong, a fancier version of the compact Elantra sedan, at a new plant set to open in Beijing Tuesday. The company expects to sell 100,000 of the new model this year, executives say.
在中国这个仅次于美国的全球第二大汽车市场上，现代汽车的销量和占有率一直在下滑，而其管理人士还一度乐观地预计，借助中国市场公司将跻身全球一流汽车制造商之列。在最初的风光过后，现代汽车的日子就变得不太好过了，因为中国消费者要么青睐美国、欧洲和日本的名牌车，要么转向较为便宜的本土品牌汽车。和2006年相比，现代汽车2007年在中国市场的的销量下滑了18%。
Hyundai's sales and market share have been declining in China -- the world's second-biggest vehicle market after the U.S., and one that Hyundai executives once predicted would propel their company into the top ranks of global auto makers. After an initial burst, Hyundai has struggled as Chinese buyers have opted for U.S., European and Japanese brands with more cachet, or have gone for less-expensive models from Chinese domestic makers. Hyundai sold 18% fewer cars in China in 2007 than it did in 2006.
北京现代副总经理金泰成表示，去年公司在中国市场中遇到了一些困难，问题就在于我们没有新车推出。
'Last year we had difficulties in China. . . . The problem was we had no new car introduced,' says Kim Tae-seong, a deputy general manager for Beijing Hyundai.
为了扭转局面，公司将宝押在了新款伊兰特之上，届时现有的“旧”款伊兰特仍将在市场中销售，后者虽然是现代在中国市场中的销售冠军，但其销量也出现了严重下滑。该公司2007年售出了120,333辆伊兰特，比06年减少近30%。
To turn things around, Hyundai is looking to the new version of the Elantra. The current Elantra, which will remain on the market, is Hyundai's best-selling model in China, though it, too, has seen steep declines. Hyundai sold 120,333 Elantras in 2007, down nearly 30% from the year before.
悦动轿车的高配置版拥有天窗和真皮座椅，这样能吸引那些在意车辆外形但又预算偏紧的消费者。这款还装备了前排双安全气囊的新车售价定于人民币99,800－129,800元，约合14,000－18,500美元。
Higher-end versions of the new Elantra Yuedong will have sunroofs and leather seats as standard features to appeal to image-conscious but budget-constrained Chinese buyers. The new Elantra also will have dual front-seat air bags. The car will be priced from 99,800 yuan to 129,800 yuan, or about $14,000 to $18,500.
金泰成表示，悦动瞄准的是那些目前无力购买豪华汽车但对车辆外观颇为讲究的消费者。
The Elantra Yuedong is aimed at consumers 'who don't have enough money' for a luxury car but who 'really care about the appearance of their cars,' Mr. Kim says.
现代汽车计划日后将在中国开始生产豪华汽车。目前该公司在华生产的汽车包括中型汽车索纳塔(Sonata)，以及圣达菲(Santa Fe)等运动型多用途车(SUV)。
Down the road, Hyundai plans to start manufacturing a luxury car in China. The auto maker's current China lineup includes the midsize Sonata sedan as well as the Santa Fe and other sport-utility vehicles.
现代汽车驻北京的高管Ed Yoon表示，北京现代的长期计划是推出自己的豪华车，不过公司目前并没有一个敲定的时间表。今年1月份，现代汽车在韩国推出了一款名为Genesis的豪华车，并计划在6月份将其引入美国市场。
Beijing Hyundai's 'long-term plan is to produce its own luxury car, though we don't have a fixed plan for when that is right now,' says Ed Yoon, a Hyundai executive in Beijing. Hyundai introduced a luxury sedan, the Genesis, in South Korea in January and plans to start selling it in the U.S. in June.
紧凑型汽车在中国车市中竞争最为激烈的领域之一。伊兰特的竞争对手包括大众汽车(Volkswagen)在本土生产的捷达(Jetta)、别克(Buick)的凯越(Excelle)、丰田(Toyota)的花冠(Corolla)；以及奇瑞汽车(Chery)的A5和比亚迪(BYD)的F3。
Compact cars are one of the most competitive parts of China's auto market. The Elantra competes with the locally produced Volkswagen Jetta, Buick Excelle and Toyota Corolla, as well as domestic makes, such as the Chery A5 and the BYD F3.
不过CSM Worldwide的汽车行业分析师张豫指出，伊兰特从2003年12月起就已投放中国市场，已基本走完了汽车产品五至六年的自然生命周期，需要用新车型取而代之。
But the Elantra, which was introduced in China in December 2003, is nearing its natural five-to-six-year life cycle for cars and needs to be replaced, says Yale Zhang, an auto analyst at CSM Worldwide.
张豫表示，无论哪家汽车企业想赢得中国市场，都必须在紧凑型汽车领域表现出色，其具体办法就是不断地推陈出新。
'Whoever wants to win the China market must do well in' the compact-car segment by constantly refreshing its product lines, Mr. Zhang says.
现代汽车表示，它的目标客户年龄介于25至35岁之间，家庭月收入在1,700美元左右，或者较之稍低。现代的管理人士表示，这些中产阶级非常关注油耗问题，而对油价上涨的担忧限制了他们对大车的消费热情。考虑到这点，现代公司将为悦动装配节省燃油的矽胎。
Hyundai says it is aiming at buyers between the ages of 25 and 35 who have a monthly family income of about $1,700 or below. These middle-class drivers are very focused on fuel efficiency, and concern about rising gasoline prices has damped their desire for bigger cars, Hyundai executives say. To that end, Beijing Hyundai is fitting the new Elantra with fuel-saving silica tires.
公司管理人士表示，他们希望能赢得这些汽车爱好者的品牌忠诚度，并且随着后者年龄的增长和荷包的充实，公司能向他们销售更多较为昂贵的汽车。金泰成表示，公司准备好要追随消费者的财富增长势头。
Executives say they hope to win loyalty from this group of car lovers as they grow older and more affluent and step up to more expensive cars. 'We are prepared to follow their fortunes,' says Mr. Kim.
将有强大的营销攻势围绕着悦动而展开，而宣传的重点就是把它描述为花冠的替代产品。现代的管理者表示，悦动将比花冠更省油、动力更强劲，而售价比后者便宜了约18%。记者未能联系到丰田汽车的发言人就此置评。
Marketing for the Elantra Yuedong will pitch the car most aggressively as an alternative to Toyota Motor Corp.'s Corolla. Executives say the new Elantra will be more fuel-efficient and powerful than the Corolla and will cost about 18% less. Toyota couldn't be reached for comment.
北京现代表示将投入570万美元在互联网、电视及印刷媒体上为悦动的上市进行广告宣传。
Beijing Hyundai says it will spend as much as $5.7 million on Internet, television and print advertising for the car's launch.
金泰成表示，我们的品牌号召力不如花冠，但我们在生产上不落人后，而且价格更为理想。
'Our [brand] power is weaker than the Corolla,' says Mr. Kim. 'But there is no weakness in our productivity, and our price is better.'
Jason Leow / Gordon Fairclough
没有评论:
发表评论