VOA标准英语2012--Sales of Luxury Cars 'Booming'

Sales of Luxury Cars 'Booming'

Despite the financial uncertainty¹ in Europe or the slowdown in China, the market for luxury cars has never been better.
Last year, British automaker Rolls Royce sold more than 3,500 ultra-luxury models like a $450,000 Phantom² Coupe. That's a 31 percent increase, and company CEO Torsten Müller-?tv?s says it's the biggest in the firm's 107-year history.
"We have seen growth in all our markets worldwide but particularly in our Asian markets and also in the United States," said Müller-?tv?s. "Both are our biggest markets worldwide."
German automaker BMW also enjoyed a banner year, posting record sales in 2011 - to take the top spot from Mercedes and Toyota's high-end Lexus line. Paul Ferraiolo is head of BMW's product planning.
"We did nearly 250,000 BMW's in the U.S., and it was a great year," said Ferraiolo. "And it was because we had a lot of new models, and people are very happy with our latest lineup."
The growth in sales of premium³ automobiles⁴ is reflected around the globe. In Continental⁵ Europe - sales in Germany and Russia have more than doubled. In the Asia-Pacific region - it's up 47 percent, and in the oil-rich Middle East - sales of luxury cars are up 23 percent.
Muller-Otvos says the strongest demand comes from the newly rich and from those who appreciate the highest level of craftsmaship.
"Many of our customers have been very successful in their particular business, and for that reason they have rewarded themselves with, you can say, a nice reward for achieving certain targets they set for themselves," he said.
All told, the luxury segment grew more than 14 percent last year. Industry experts predict sales to grow about 8 percent in 2012 - more than twice as fast as the overall car market.

1 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

2 phantom   

n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的

参考例句：

• I found myself staring at her as if she were a phantom.我发现自己瞪大眼睛看着她，好像她是一个幽灵。
• He is only a phantom of a king.他只是有名无实的国王。

3 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

4 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。