Volvo is bringing Made in China to American drivers. The Swedish carmaker plans to export a roomy, long wheelbase version of its S60 saloon to the US from Chengdu in China, where it operates a factory with its owner and Chinese joint-venture partner Geely.沃尔沃(Volvo)正在将“中国生产”的汽车送往美国司机的手中。这家瑞典汽车制造商计划从中国成都向美国出口一款内部较宽阔、轴距较长版本的S60轿车。

目前，沃尔沃在成都与它的母公司兼任中国合资伙伴吉利(Geely)运营着一家汽车制造厂。The vehicle, called the S60L, marks a possible turning point for the motor industry, as a mainstream carmaker pilots the long-awaited introduction of Chinese vehicles in the US, the world’s second-biggest auto market — albeit with a European badge.这款取名为S60L的汽车有可能标志着汽车业的转折点，它标志着一家主流汽车制造商开始全面推行一个倍受期望的计划：向美国引入中国生产的汽车——尽管这款汽车仍顶着欧洲的徽标。目前，美国是全球第二大汽车市场。

“It’s something that’s unique and we’re very proud to be the first,” says Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo’s chief executive, speaking at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.在底特律北美国际汽车展(North American International Auto Show)上讲话时，沃尔沃首席执行官哈坎萨缪尔森(Hakan Samuelsson)回应：“这是十分独有的经历。让我们十分自豪的是：我们是第一个这样做到的人。

”China’s car manufacturers have so far failed to make a dent in the global auto market, despite the fact that it is now more than three decades since Volkswagen set up one of the country’s first big joint ventures. For example, BYD, the electric carmaker backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, had planned to introduce China-made vehicles in the US in 2010, but the plans fizzled out.自大众(Volkswagen)在中国创立首个大型合资企业以来，时间已过去了逾30年。然而到目前为止，中国汽车制造商未有对全球汽车市场产生相当大影响。比如，曾获得亿万富翁沃伦巴菲特(Warren Buffett)投资的电动汽车制造商比亚迪(BYD)，曾计划在2010年向美国引入中国生产的汽车，结果却不了了之。Volvo began production of the S60L at the Chengdu plant in 2013, and has capacity to make 120,000 vehicles each year.沃尔沃于2013年开始在成都的工厂生产S60L，其生产能力为每年12万辆。

The question is whether US consumers are ready for vehicles made in China, which lacks a strong reputation in carmaking despite it being the world’s biggest producer of manufactured goods and boasting industrial prowess in areas from consumer technology to textiles.现在的问题在于，美国消费者否为拒绝接受中国生产汽车作好了打算。却是，虽然中国是全球仅次于的制造品生产国，在还包括消费高科技产品和纺织品在内的领域，中国也以强劲的工业实力而自豪，但是中国在汽车生产领域的名声并不是十分悦耳。“This is something the industry is going to watch very closely,” says Stephanie Brinley, analyst at IHS Automotive. “We want to understand how consumers feel and are going to react, but right now we just don’t know.”思迈汽车信息咨询公司(IHS Automotive)分析师斯蒂芬妮布林利(Stephanie Brinley)回应：“汽车业回应将十分注目。

我们很想要理解消费者的感觉，并理解他们将不会如何对此，然而目前我们还回应一无所知。”Volvo says it is simply making best use of the global manufacturing footprint offered by Geely. It stresses the factory equipment, training and employee qualifications are the same whether in Gothenburg or Chengdu.沃尔沃回应，该公司所做到的只是充分利用了吉利获取的全球生产基地。该公司特别强调，不论是在哥德堡还是在成都，工厂设备、人员培训以及员工素质都是几乎一样的。“We are not talking about exporting a Chinese car,” says Mr Samuelsson. “It’s a Volvo. Nobody has said the S60 [made in Genk] is a Belgian car. We know the quality is absolutely the same, if not better.”萨缪尔森回应：“我们在辩论的并不是出口中国轿车。

我们出口的是沃尔沃。没人会说在根克(Genk)市生产的S60是比利时轿车。我们告诉的是，这些产品的品质就算无法说道是更佳，也得说道是几乎一样。

”“In the end you have to be a bit humble and accept that the customers are the ones deciding.”“归根结底，大家还是应当顺服一点，让顾客来做到要求。”Honda sells its Chinese-made Fit car in Canada. But for some US consumers, the Volvo S60L will trigger some uncomfortable associations, according to analysts.本田(Honda)也在加拿大销售中国生产的飞度(Fit)轿车。不过，按照分析师的众说纷纭，沃尔沃S60L不会让美国消费者产生很差的误解。

“Many Chinese cars are not ready for American primetime, as we’ve seen some very subpar Chinese vehicles displayed at American auto shows,” says Michelle Krebs, analyst for Autotrader.com. But she adds that very few US consumers know — or care — where their cars are made.Autotrader.com网站分析师米歇尔克雷布斯(Michelle Krebs)回应：“许多中国汽车都没作好步入美国‘黄金档’的打算，尽管我们曾在美国车展上看见过一些十分低档的中国汽车。”不过，她补足说道，美国消费者很少有人理解或关心汽车的产地。

Volvo’s S60L, which has sold to about 25,000 customers in China since launch, forms part of the company’s wider plan to resurrect its fortunes in the US.自发售以来，沃尔沃S60L轿车已在中国出售了2.5万辆，该款车型是沃尔沃在美国打翻身仗的更大计划的一部分。Volvo this month reported record sales of 466,000 vehicles for 2014, thanks to strong growth in the Chinese market, the world’s largest by sales.由于在中国市场的强大快速增长，沃尔沃这个月袭港2014年销售46.6万辆的创纪录销量。目前，中国是全球汽车销量仅次于的市场。

But the US, once Volvo’s biggest market, has been a problem and is now just 12 per cent of sales. The company sold 56,000 vehicles in the US last year, down 8 per cent on 2013.不过，一度是其仅次于市场的美国对沃尔沃来说毕竟个问题。如今，在沃尔沃销量中美国市场所占到的比例只有12%。

去年，该公司在美国的销量是5.6万辆，比2013年上升8%。“Our programme narrowed, so we concentrated on too few cars,” says Mr Samuelsson. “We have to reverse that.”萨缪尔森回应：“我们收窄了产品计划，专心生产的非常少的几类轿车。我们必需转变这种状况。”Volvo has put in place a new management team in the US and ramped up its marketing activities in the country.目前，沃尔沃早已在美国配备了新的管理团队，并增大了在美国的营销力度。

Initial volume expectations by Volvo for the S60L in the US are low — about 1,500 a year. More important will be the XC90, a sport utility vehicle, and a new S60 saloon, being launched in Detroit.沃尔沃对S60L在美销量的可行性预期很低，只有约每年1500辆。对沃尔沃来说，更加最重要的车型将不会是XC90这款运动型多功能车(SUV)，以及在底特律发售的新款S60轿车。

Mr Samuelsson wants to get the company selling 100,000 vehicles in North America by broadening its product range, part of a plan to reach 800,000 in global sales over the medium term. “We need to grow here faster and this [S60L] is a piece in that puzzle,” he says.萨缪尔森期望，通过减少产品种类，能让沃尔沃在北美的销量超过10万辆，从而构建在中期内超过全球销售80万辆的计划。他说道：“我们必须在北美市场的快速增长，这款（S60L）车型就是这一原始积木中的一块。”But the importance of the S60L stretches beyond its volumes.不过，S60L的重要性好比是在销量方面。Mr Samuelsson says the car could be followed by other Volvo models made in China for export. Analysts say rival manufacturers may replicate Volvo’s move, including Buick, the General Motors brand that builds its Envision crossover SUV in China’s Shandong province for the Chinese market.萨缪尔森回应，在S60L之后，沃尔沃还不会出口其他在华生产的车型。

分析人士回应，还包括别克(Buick)在内的沃尔沃输掉可能会采行与沃尔沃某种程度的措施。别克是通用汽车(General Motors)旗下品牌，它在中国的山东省针对中国市场生产昂科威(Envision)跨界车。

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