After three years of seizing market share from Chinese rivals, foreign auto makers are starting to take it from each other.
继三年来不断从中国竞争对手那里抢占市场份额之后，海外汽车制造商开始了彼此之间的激烈竞争。
Ford Motor Co., Volkswagen AG and Hyundai Motor Corp. are all poised to end the year with significant market share gains in the world's No. 1 auto market, as they were quick to meet demand for sport-utility vehicles and China-tailored new models.
福特汽车公司(Ford Motor Co.)、大众汽车(Volkswagen AG)和现代汽车公司(Hyundai Motor Co.)都准备在今年结束时使自己在中国这个全球最大汽车市场的占有率得到显著提升。这些公司迅速迎合了市场对运动型多用途车(SUV)和为中国消费者量身定制的新车型的需求。
At least some of those gains are at the expense of other foreign players. General Motors Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. have all seen their China market share shrink so far this year.
然而，这其中至少有部分市场份额的增加是以其他海外汽车制造商的损失为代价的。今年截至目前，通用汽车公司(General Motors Co.)、丰田汽车公司(Toyota Motor Co.)和日产汽车(Nissan Motor Co.)在中国市场的占有率均有所下滑。
Foreign players are chasing drivers like Qian Jin. After months wavering between Ford's Kuga, Volkswagen's Tiguan and Nissan's X-Trail compact SUVs, the Beijing-based freelance photographer decided on a deluxe-edition Kuga to replace his eight-year-old Volkswagen Golf sedan.
目前，海外汽车制造商都在争夺像钱进（音译）这样的中国消费者。继数月来一直在福特翼虎(Kuga)、大众途观(Tiguan)和日产奇骏(X-Trail)这些紧凑型SUV中犹豫不决之后，这位居住在北京的自由摄影师终于决定购买一辆豪华型的翼虎，来替换他已经开了八年的大众高尔夫(Golf)轿车。
Mr. Qian cited the Kuga's interior features, such as motion sensers that let him open the back hatch by stretching his legs.
钱进称，作出这一决定的原因是被翼虎的内饰所吸引，比如，运动传感器使他伸伸腿就能打开后备箱。
'You don't need to push a button,' he said. 'It's a very considerate design.'
他说，你无需按下按钮，这是非常周到的设计。
Data released Tuesday showed China's overall passenger vehicle sales rose 15% in the period from January to November, with the total market share of foreign auto makers rising to 60% from 58.7% in the year-earlier period. Most major foreign auto makers - even those with flat or declining market share - posted total sales gains as Chinese drivers continue to favor foreign brands.
周二发布的数据显示，今年1-11月份，中国乘用车销售总量增加了15%，海外汽车制造商的市场占有率从上年同期的58.7%升至60%。由于中国消费者仍青睐海外品牌，多数主要海外汽车制造商（即便是那些市场占有率持平或下降的制造商）在中国市场的汽车销量都实现了增长。
But the companies say competitive pressure is increasing. 'It's critically important for car makers to launch the right products at the right time,' said John Zeng, an analyst at LMC Automotive.
但这些公司表示，竞争压力正在加大。LMC Automotive分析师John Zeng认为，对于汽车制造商来说，在正确的时间推出正确的产品至关重要。
In an October interview, GM China President Bob Socia called this year 'a little bit of an off year' in China for the Detroit auto maker as a result of fewer new launches. GM plans to introduce another nine new or refreshed SUVs in China within the next five years, and introduce a new Cadillac model every year through 2016.
通用汽车中国公司总裁苏瑞博(Bob Socia)在今年10月份接受采访时称，对通用汽车来说，由于推出的新车型减少，今年在中国市场的境况较差。通用汽车计划未来五年内在中国推出九款新型或升级款SUV，并从目前到2016年的每年都推出一款新的卡迪拉克(Cadillac)车型。
'It's totally about having the right product,' Mr. Socia said. Last month, GM said Mr. Socia would retire in January and that his successor, GM China executive Matthew Tsien, would report directly to GM Chief Executive Dan Akerson.
苏瑞博称，这完全取决于推出正确的产品。通用汽车曾在上个月表示，苏瑞博将在明年1月退休，而他的继任者钱惠康(Matthew Tsien)将由通用汽车首席执行长艾克森(Dan Akerson)直接领导。
According to J.D. Power & Associates, there are 524 car models offered by 96 brands in China, compared with 294 models sold by 45 brands in the U.S. In 2014, car makers are going to launch at least 238 new and upgraded models in China, according to market research firm Ways Consulting Co.
J.D. Power & Associates的信息显示，目前在中国市场上的96个汽车品牌提供了524款车型，而美国市场上的45个汽车品牌提供了294款车型。市场调研公司Ways Consulting Co.称，2014年中国汽车市场将至少推出238款新车和升级版汽车。
Most foreign auto makers are so far maintaining and even increasing profitability in China, say analysts, in part by pressuring parts makers and dealers. The companies themselves don't disclose bottom-line data from China.
分析师们认为，到目前为止，多数海外汽车制造商都维持、甚至增加了在中国的盈利，一定程度上是通过向零部件制造商和汽车经销商施加压力。这些汽车制造商都未披露在中国市场的利润数据。
At the same time, they are increasing spending on marketing to reach Chinese consumers. Nielsen-CCData, a joint venture between Nielsen and a Chinese data firm, said the five biggest foreign-Chinese auto joint ventures - which include arms of VW, GM, Nissan and BMW AG -- spent a total of 9.5 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) on advertising in the first 10 months of this year, up 8% from a year earlier. This year, GM and Ford sponsored popular TV singing competitions, with the former sponsoring 'The Voice of China' while the latter advertised on 'Chinese Idol.'
与此同时，为了吸引中国消费者，海外汽车制造商正在加大市场营销方面的投入。尼尔森公司(Nielsen)与一家中资数据公司成立的合资公司尼尔森网联(Nielsen-CCData)称，今年前10个月，包括大众汽车、通用汽车、日产汽车和宝马汽车(BMW AG)子公司在内的五家最大的中外合资汽车公司总共投入了人民币95亿元（约合16亿美元）的广告费，同比增加8%。今年，通用汽车和福特汽车都赞助了电视台的歌唱比赛。通用汽车赞助了“中国好声音”，而福特汽车成为了“中国梦之声”的赞助商。
Ford has seen sales surge by more than 50% to about 840,000 vehicles as of the first 11 months of this year compared with the year-earlier period on the back of an effort to double production capacity there by 2015. The U.S. car maker has said it would bring 15 new models in China between 2011 and 2015 including the luxury brand Lincoln and classic Mustang.
今年1至11月，福特汽车销量较上年同期飙升50%多，达到约84万辆，这主要是受该公司有关到2015年将产量提高一倍的努力所支撑。这家美国汽车制造商已经表示，2011年至2015年间将在中国推出15款新车型，包括奢侈品牌林肯(Lincoln)和经典的野马(Mustang)汽车。
'The Chinese like a little bit more room in the backseat, they like a little bit more chrome on the front,' said David Schoch, president of Ford's Asia-Pacific region, last week in an interview. 'So we are taking into consideration the Chinese wants.'
福特汽车亚太地区总裁萧达伟(David Schoch)上周接受采访时说：中国人喜欢后排空间更宽敞，喜欢车头有更多铬合金装饰；所以我们考虑了中国人的需求。
South Korea's Hyundai has focused on mid- and compact-sized vehicles, focusing on China-exclusive models such as the Yuedong, Langdong and Mistra sedans. Analysts said Hyundai's adoption of European-style designs has catered to Chinese consumers' aesthetic. It had a 7.4% share of China's auto market in the first eleven months of this year, up from 7.1% in 2012.
韩国现代汽车一直专注于中型车和紧凑型车，特别是仅针对中国的车型，比如悦动、朗动和名图(Mistra)轿车。分析师们说，现代汽车采用的欧式设计迎合了中国消费者的审美观。今年前11个月，现代汽车在中国汽车市场上的占有率为7.4%，高于2012年的7.1%。
Toyota and Nissan are still grappling with the fallout of a territorial dispute between Beijing and Tokyo that led to Chinese consumers last year scorning Japanese brands. Nissan said at a recent auto show in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou that it aims to raise its share of China's auto market to 10% over the medium to long run from less than 6% currently.
丰田汽车和日产汽车仍在努力应对中日领土争端带来的影响，争端去年导致中国消费者对日本品牌避之不及。日产汽车最近在广州的一个汽车展上说，该公司计划在中长期内把其在中国汽车市场上的占有率从目前的不足6%提高至10%。
Niu Yu, a spokesman for Toyota China, said it is on track to meet its goal of selling 900,000 vehicles in China this year and plans to raise the annual sales to more than one million in 2014. 'In the future we will focus on low-cost cars and hybrid vehicles,' he said.
丰田中国发言人牛熠说，该公司有望实现今年在中国销售90万辆车的目标，并计划将2014年年销量提高至100万辆以上。他说，未来我们将侧重于低成本汽车和混合动力车。
By contrast, Honda has increased its market share to 3.3% in the first 11 months of the year from 3.1% last year as it revved up efforts to incorporate Chinese preference into its models. In September, it launched the Jade, a multi-purpose vehicle with a three-row-seat version for China to cater local preference to roomy space. Honda says it has sold more than 20,000 vehicles as of November.
相比之下，本田汽车今年前11个月在中国市场上的占有率从去年的3.1%提高至3.3%，这主要是因为该公司加大努力在旗下车型中融入中国人喜好的元素。今年9月，本田汽车推出了多用途车杰德(Jade)，该款车型特意为中国市场设计了一个三排座椅版，以迎合中国消费者对车内空间的要求。本田汽车说，截至11月，已经卖出了超过2万辆杰德汽车。
Not all Chinese auto makers have seen market share declines. Great Wall Motor Co. has seen its market share rise to 3.5% from 3.2% last year on the strength of its dependence on SUVs.
并非所有中国本土汽车制造商的市场占有率都有所下降。长城汽车(Great Wall Motor Co.)市场占有率从去年的3.2%提高至3.5%，这主要得益于该公司主打SUV。
While market leaders such as GM and VW have won brand recognition in China after more than a decade of operations, Chinese consumers remain less loyal to auto brands than in the West.
虽然通用汽车和大众汽车等市场领导者在经过十多年的经营后在中国获得了品牌认知度，但中国消费者对汽车品牌的忠诚度仍没有西方国家消费者那么高。
'In China, auto culture is far from being established. Buying cars is somewhat like taking friends to restaurants. Most of people are unlikely to go to the same restaurant in the first two or three times,' said Mei Songlin, vice president and managing director with J.D. Power China.
J.D. Power中国的副总裁兼董事总经理梅松林说，在中国，汽车文化还远没有建立起来；买车就像是带朋友去餐厅吃饭，头两三次，大多数人不太可能去同一家餐厅。
Mr. Mei's survey of second-time car buyers showed that 85 of every 100 people said they prefer a different brand.
梅松林对二次买车人的调查显示，85%的人说他们会倾向于选择其他品牌。