Luxury-Car Sales Remain Weak
豪华车销售低迷 年底前难有改观
The world's biggest luxury-car makers -- BMW AG, Daimler AG and Audi AG -- said sales remained battered by weakened demand last month but that the market should start recovering late this year or early next.
世界三大豪华汽车厂商──宝马汽车公司(BMW AG)、戴姆勒公司(Daimler AG)和奥迪公司(Audi AG)──表示，上个月汽车销量仍然遭受需求走软的打击，但今年年底或明年年初市场应会开始复苏。
Historically, the luxury-car segment has been less affected by economic downturns than the rest of the auto industry. But the magnitude of the current global recession has left no auto maker untouched.
从历史情况看，经济衰退给豪华车带来的冲击要小于汽车业其他领域。但面对当前这场严重的全球经济衰退，没有哪家汽车厂商能够安然无恙。
BMW's total car sales fell 24% in February from a year earlier, and the outlook for the year remains uncertain, Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer told reporters at the Geneva auto show Tuesday. He said, however, that the market should enter a recovery phase next year but that it would be a slow process.
宝马汽车首席执行长雷瑟夫(Norbert Reithofer)周二在日内瓦汽车展上对记者表示，2月公司汽车总销量较上年同期下滑了24%，今年的前景依旧不确定。不过他说，市场明年应能进入恢复期，但这可能是个缓慢的过程。
An incentive plan in Germany, the home turf of the world's three largest luxury-car makers, is paying 2,500, or about $3,100, to consumers who scrap old cars and buy new ones, but the program is expected to spark demand mainly for small cars rather than for luxury vehicles. German new-car registrations rose 21% in February from a year earlier, boosted by the government plan, the German car-makers association VDIK said.
德国是全球三大豪华汽车厂商的总部所在地。根据德国政府的一项刺激计划，更换新车的消费者将获得2,500欧元（约合3,100美元）的补助；但这项计划可能主要会给小型车需求带来刺激，而不是豪华车。德国国际汽车制造商协会(VDIK)表示，受政府计划推动，德国2月份新车登记数较上年同期增长了21%。
Mr. Reithofer said BMW will focus on liquidity this year rather than profitability, explaining that the company will aim to manage its inventories effectively, reduce fixed costs and optimize working capital.
雷瑟夫表示，宝马汽车今年会侧重于流动性而非盈利能力；他解释说，公司将致力于有效管理库存，削减固定成本，优化营运资本。
Mr. Reithofer said BMW has cut 4,000 salaried staff, more than the 3,100 cuts planned, which will lead to savings of 500 million euros, or about $625 million, this year. The company has no plans for forced layoffs, he said.
雷瑟夫说，宝马汽车已经裁减了4,000名正式员工，裁员规模超过原计划的3,100人，将给今年带来5亿欧元（约合6.25亿美元）的成本节约。他说，公司目前没有强迫裁员的计划。
Mr. Reithofer said BMW is always interested in cooperation with other auto makers but said BMW is 'strong enough to survive on its own.' BMW has been in talks with Daimler and Fiat SpA to cooperate in purchasing and sharing certain components.
雷瑟夫说，宝马汽车一直有意与其他汽车厂商进行合作，但公司实力雄厚足以独自生存。宝马汽车正在与戴姆勒和菲亚特(Fiat SpA)进行谈判，打算在某些部件的采购和共享方面进行合作。
BMW also aims to sell more engines to other auto makers to generate more revenue, said executive-board member Klaus Draeger. BMW currently supplies engines to some niche car makers such as Wiesmann and also makes boat engines in the 170 to about 300 brake horsepower range.
宝马汽车执行董事德雷格(Klaus Draeger)说，公司还计划向其他汽车厂商出售更多引擎，以带来更多收入。目前宝马汽车向Wiesmann等一些小众汽车厂商提供引擎，还生产170至大约300制动马力的船用引擎。
Meanwhile, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said January's weak demand for cars spilled over to February but that auto markets are expected to start recovering toward year-end. Daimler didn't report global sales for February, however.
与此同时，戴姆勒首席执行长蔡澈(Dieter Zetsche)表示，1月份汽车的疲软需求延续到了2月份，但汽车市场有望在年底左右开始复苏。不过，戴姆勒没有公布2月份全球销量。
Mr. Zetsche reiterated that Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, plans to maintain spending on research and development, even amid eroding sales industrywide, so that the company can be more competitive when the global economy improves.
蔡澈重申，尽管整个行业销量不断下滑，但戴姆勒仍计划维持研发开支，这样一旦全球经济好转，公司就能更具竞争性。戴姆勒是梅塞德斯-奔驰(Mercedes-Benz)汽车的生产商。
Emerging markets such as China could 'lead the path to a market recovery' toward year-end, Mr. Zetsche said at the auto show. For a broader upturn, however, Western Europe, the U.S. and Japan will have to rebound as well, he said.
蔡澈在汽车展上表示，中国等新兴市场可能会引领市场在年底开始复苏。但他说，如果西欧、美国和日本市场没有一道回升，汽车业就无法出现更为广泛的复苏。
Daimler has to 'get rid of some inventory and keep adjusting production to demand,' he said. Last month, Daimler said it swung into the red in the fourth quarter because of a slump at its core Mercedes-Benz unit and a huge loss on its stake in Chrysler LLC.
他说，戴姆勒必须清理部分库存，继续按照需求调节生产。戴姆勒上个月表示，公司去年第四季度出现亏损，主要是因为核心的梅塞德斯-奔驰部门业绩大幅下滑，在克莱斯勒(Chrysler LLC)持股出现巨额亏损。
Volkswagen AG's premium brand Audi said its global car sales fell by 11% in February and that it anticipates a decline of as much as 10% in vehicle sales for the full year.
大众汽车(Volkswagen AG)旗下顶级品牌奥迪汽车表示，2月份公司全球销量下滑了11%，预计今年全年汽车销量会下滑至多10%。
Despite tough conditions world-wide, Audi plans to increase its market share this year, said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi's board member in charge of sales and marketing. Audi's market share rose to 5% in Western Europe in January from 3.9% a year earlier, while its U.S. market share increased to 7.2% from 6.7%.
奥迪汽车主管销售和营销的董事萧绅博(Peter Schwarzenbauer)说，尽管全球形势严峻，但奥迪计划今年扩大市场份额。今年1月，奥迪在西欧市场的占有率从上年同期的3.9%上升到5%，同期美国市场占有率也从6.7%上升到7.2%。
Christoph Rauwald
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