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中国人爱豪华车 汽车商大获其利

China is cementing its reputation as the most important market for the auto¹ industry.  Chinese auto sales are up 13 percent from a year ago -- with sales expected to top 20 million this year.  By comparison, total sales in the United States this year are forecast at just a little more than 15 million vehicles.  The importance of the Chinese market is reflected in the size and sophistication of the Shanghai auto show, where automakers are capitalizing on China's growing demand for luxury cars and SUV's.

中国消费者对大型豪华轿车与运动型多功能汽车的需求日涨，汽车厂商因此大获其利。中国汽车销售年比上升13%，今年预计将卖出2000万辆汽车。相比之下，美国今年预计仅会卖出1500多万辆。上海汽车展的规模与精心布展反映出中国市场的重要性。

Bring an auto show to Shanghai, China, and people are sure to come -- tens of thousands of potential car buyers from the world's largest auto market. 

在上海举办汽车展肯定能吸引这个世界最大汽车市场的国民，成千上万的参观者都可能是未来的汽车买主。

Ford³ Motors' Dave Schoch is counting on it. "So you've got 30 million customers out there, all with different tastes and different affordability⁴ levels.  And what Ford wants to do is bring the power and leverage⁵ of our global line-up, you know from small to medium to large, into China," Schoch said.

福特汽车公司的戴维.肖赫指望他们会购买福特车。他说： “外面有3000万消费者，他们有着不同的品味，不同的消费能力。福特要做的就是展示我们全球阵容的实力和影响力，把小型、中型到大型汽车全都带入中国。”

But the competition is fierce. 

但竞争是激烈的。

"We are increasing our local content here in this country. And next month we are opening the first engine plant with the capacity of 250,000 units outside of Germany for Mercedes engines," said Daimler AG Chairman, Dieter Zetsche.

戴姆勒公司总裁蔡澈也在车展现场： “我们正在增加在中国的项目。下个月，我们将开设首家德国以外的发动机制造厂，生产奔驰发动机，生产能力为25万台。”

The Chinese see cars as a potent² symbol of success. Autoforesight analyst⁶ Yale Zhang says the rising demand for premium⁷ and luxury automobiles⁸ reflects China's emergence⁹ as an economic superpower.

中国人把汽车视为成功的标志。汽车前景预测分析师张耶鲁说，对高档车与豪华车需求的增长表明中国作为一个经济强国的崛起。

"This market is becoming more like European or American style entry-level premium like Mercedes C-class or BMW-3 series.  This kind of entry-level premium is growing very fast," Zhang said.

张说： “中国市场越来越像欧洲或美国的市场，中国人一买车就买奔驰C级车，或宝马3系列。这种一入门就买高档车的做法越来越普遍。”

Demand has been especially high for larger, sport utility vehicles (SUV's).  Karsten Engel, who heads BMW's China Group, says the roomy interiors appeal to China's newly rich -- even though some will probably never drive them.

中国市场对大型运动型多功能汽车的需求特别高。宝马集团中国区总裁安格说，宽敞的汽车内部很对中国新富的胃口，即使他们当中的一些人永远不会去开车。

"The ultimate driving machine, you probably experience a lot from the rear seat with your driver, so you need more space, you want more space.  You want to have the possibility to work in the car," Engel said.

“宝马是终极驾驶机器，你坐在后座上也可以同司机一样有很多体验，所以你需要更多空间，希望有在汽车上工作的可能性。”

That's something luxury automaker Bugatti's marketing¹⁰ director Stefan Brungs understands. "This is what the Chinese have learned and perceived as luxury -- to sit in the back and be chauffeured," Brungs said.

显然，生产豪华跑车的布加迪公司全球市场总监斯蒂芬.布龙斯了解这一需求： “中国人学会并理解的奢侈生活就是坐在汽车后座，由专职司机开车。

Despite the high demand for larger automobiles, environmental issues and fuel consumption concerns are contributing to the heightened interest in green, fuel efficient vehicles. 

虽然中国市场对大型汽车需求很大，但是环境问题与汽油消耗也是中国消费者考虑的问题，这令绿色节能车备受关注。

"Four years ago, when we introduced the concept of the electric car, most of our colleagues in the industry thought that we had lost our minds.  Now it doesn't look so stupid, you know?," said Nissan's Asia Vice¹¹ President Andy Palmer.

尼桑集团亚洲区副总裁安迪.帕尔默说： “四年前，当我们推出电动汽车时，业内大多数同行都认为我们疯了。现在看起来我们并不傻。”

But for now, analysts¹² say new hybrid¹³ and electric technology is likely to take a back seat in China.  Despite higher government taxes on larger gasoline combustion¹⁴ engines, new data show sales of SUV's are up nearly 50 percent from a year ago and likely to double by 2015.

不过分析师说，就目前来看，新型混合动力车和电动车技术在中国很可能要退居次位。虽然****对高能耗发动机汽车征收更高的税金，但新的数据显示，运动型多功能汽车的销售年比上升近50%，并且有可能在2015年翻一番。