德國車統治世界的十大原因
Achtung baby
注意，寶貝！ Anyone seeking to understand why Germany remains the economic powerhouse of Europe need only to look at the performance of its auto industry. Its flagship brands -- Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and Porsche -- are all enjoying record years and forecasting even better results for 2013.
如果有人不明白德國爲什麼是歐洲經濟的發動機，只要看看德國汽車業的表現就明白了。梅賽德斯-奔馳（Mercedes-Benz）、寶馬（BMW）、奧迪（Audi）和保時捷（Porsche）等德系品牌的旗幟這幾年的銷量節節攀升，而且預計2013年還會有更好的業績。
Logically, they shouldn't be doing well at all. At a time when most of the world's consumers have a case of the shorts, Germany is selling premium cars at premium prices. With gasoline at wallet-busting levels, it continues to profit from high-performance V-6 and V-8 engines. And with typical buyers squeezing into smaller cars, there is no shortage of upscale German limos -- black only, of course -- festooned with more luxury features than a first-class seat on Emirates.
從邏輯上講，德系車本來不應該這樣繁榮的。如今全球大多數消費者的錢袋都比較緊張，更何況德國人還是以高端的價格賣高端車型。而且油價近年來一直高得嚇人，德國車雖然動輒搭載V6和V8發動機，但依然能繼續盈利。另外，儘管一般消費者越來越青睞小型車，但高端德國豪車總是不愁銷路——當然，它們還是一水的黑色，車裏的豪華配置甚至比阿聯酋航空公司（Emirates）的頭等艙還要豪華。
So much for logic. In the first five months of this year, BMW's global sales are up 6.4%, Porsche has gained 13%, and Audi is a remarkable 14% better off.
邏輯問題就先談到這裏。在今年的頭5個月裏，寶馬的全球銷量上升了6.4%，保時捷上升了13%，奧迪的銷量更是上升了14%。
How do the Germans do it? You could say they're smart, work hard, and have momentum on their side. But they also enjoy 10 unique advantages:
德國人是如何創造這個奇蹟的？你可能會說，他們很聰明，工作努力，而且得到了老天的眷顧。不過除此之外，德國還有10個獨特的優勢。
1. Historical roots that go deep
1. 深厚的歷史積澱
The automobile was invented when Karl Benz developed one of the first internal combustion engines in the 1870s and fitted a coach to it in 1887. The other German companies are younger -- BMW didn't start making cars until 1928 -- but all of them have invested billions of euros in marketing their heritage. Just look at the lavish museums that have been erected in Stuttgart, Munich, and Ingolstadt. The Germans revere their cars, and customers respect that.
德國人卡爾•本茨（奔馳公司的創始人之一——譯註）在19世紀70年代發明了世界上第一臺內燃發動機，然後又在1987年給它安了個車身，世界第一臺汽車就這樣誕生了。和奔馳相比，其他德國汽車廠商要年輕得多。比如寶馬公司1928年纔開始生產汽車。不過所有德國汽車廠商都投資了數十億歐元推廣他們的汽車文化遺產。在斯圖加特、慕尼黑和因戈爾斯塔特等地都建有大量的汽車博物館。德國廠商敬畏自己的汽車，而消費者也尊重德國汽車。2. Winning by racing
2．賽車制勝
No country -- not even Italy -- has a racing heritage like Germany's: the "silver arrow" Auto Union and Mercedes' cars of the 1930s; drivers like Juan Fangio, Stirling Moss and Michael Schumacher; and the fabled Nurburgring, which loops around a medieval castle and was nicknamed "The Green Hell." Even its accidents are memorable: Eighty-three spectators died at LeMans in 1955 when a Mercedes 300 SLR plowed into the crowd. You can't put a price on racing heritage, but nobody doubts its value.
沒有一個國家擁有像德國這樣深厚的賽車傳統——甚至就連意大利也比不上。早在上世紀30年代，號稱“銀箭”的汽車聯盟和奔馳公司的賽車就被人津津樂道；胡安•範吉奧、斯特林•莫斯和邁克爾•舒馬赫等汽車史上赫赫有名的賽車手都是德國人。德國還有著名的紐伯林賽道，這條傳奇賽道圍繞着一箇中世紀城堡修建而成，被車手戲稱爲“綠色地獄”。就連德國人的車禍都是令人難忘的。在1955年的勒芒賽上，一輛梅賽德斯300SLR賽車失控衝進人羣，83名觀衆不幸身亡。德國人的賽車遺產沒辦法用價格來衡量，但沒有人會懷疑它的價值。3. No speed limits
3. 高速公路無限速
The nearly 8,000 miles of German autobahns are some of the few public roads in the world with no speed limits. Urban areas, traffic congestion, and construction keep speeds on most sections below 72 miles per hour, and German manufacturers limit their cars to a top speed of 155 mph under a gentlemen's agreement, but 190 mph on some stretches is still possible. Cars are built to go this fast nowhere else in the world.
世界上只有極少數的公路沒有限速，其中就包括總長度將近8,000英里長的德國高速公路。由於城市地區、交通堵塞、道路施工等因素，大多數路段的車流速度在72英里/小時以下。德國汽車廠商基本上都遵守君子協定，把汽車的設計速度限制在155英里/小時（約255公里/小時），不過在某些情況下，設計速度上限達190英里/小時也是有可能的。世界上沒有一個國家的汽車的設計速度超越了德國車。4. Steroid-level brand strength
4. 強勢品牌
It's equal parts clarity, commitment, authenticity, and relevance -- and Germans are hip deep in it. Mercedes-Benz has been downsizing since the 1950s and has struck some wrong notes (Anybody remember a three-door hatchback from a few years back called the C230?) but nobody is confused about what a Mercedes is. Ditto Porsche, despite its detours into SUVs and sedans. All four marques rank among the world's top global brands -- the most from any single country.
德國人深知，要打造強勢品牌，就要對品牌清晰度、品牌長期承諾性、品牌血統純正度和品牌相關性同等重視。雖然梅賽德斯奔馳的規模從上世紀50年代以來一直在不斷收縮，而且它也做出過一些錯誤的決策（比如還有人記得幾年前奔馳曾經推出一款叫做C230的三門掀背車嗎？），但絕對不會有人把奔馳的汽車和別的汽車混淆。保時捷也是如此，雖然它既做SUV也做轎車。德國車的四大品牌都排在全球最佳品牌榜的前列，沒有一個國家能出其右。5. The triumph of technology
5.技術爲王
Engineers occupy a high pedestal in a country that prizes technology and craftsmanship, which explains the ubiquity of the title Dr. Ing. (for doctorate holders) at the top of German automakers. No bean counters need apply. And who but the Germans would have taken the homely, if efficient, diesel engine (invented by a German, of course) to heart for their passenger cars? This kind of dedication to first principles resonates with customers.
在一個崇尚科技和技術的國家，工程師享有崇高的地位，這也就是爲什麼德國車企裏到處都是博士。德國人在研發上不惜成本。除了德國人之外，還有誰會把原始但有效的柴油發動機（當然也是德國人發明的）放在乘用車裏呢？這種對原則的踐行也引起了消費者的共鳴。10. Everybody else is in second place
10.對手不爭氣
Really, who can go up against this quartet of winners? Lexus may deliver higher quality and better service, but its tentative presentation and lack of heritage consign it to second-tier status. Cadillac has labored mightily to raise its game to international standards -- and nearly gets there with its high-performance V-series -- but will need to execute at this level for another couple of decades before being taken seriously. And for all its panache, Ferrari is a boutique competitor to Porsche, which sells more than 20 times more cars.
的確，還有誰能與這四家德國廠商爭鋒呢？雷克薩斯（Lexus）的質量和服務也許更勝一籌，但它缺乏霸氣，也缺乏歷史傳統，因此只能居於二流地位。凱迪拉克（Cadillac）憑藉高性能的V系列車型幾乎已經達到了高端車的國際標準，但是它必須在這個水平上再保持幾十年，人們纔會真正拿它當回事。至於法拉利（Ferrari），儘管名頭甚大，但它只是保時捷的一個小競爭者，因爲保時捷的銷量是它的20倍以上。
6.適銷對路
As the Economist put it, "It's quite simple really -- Germany makes things which people in countries with growing economies want to buy." Like the U.S. and China. In May, Audi sales rocketed up 44.2% in China while BMW leapt ahead 31.5%, and both companies are growing faster than the overall market in the U.S. Try to name any other brands that are so well positioned in both places, and you start and stop with Buick.
正如《經濟學家》（Economist ）所說的那樣。“道理其實非常簡單——德國人生產的東西，正是經濟上升期國家消費者的購買需求。”中國和美國就是例子。今年五月，奧迪在中國的銷量飆升了44.2%，寶馬的銷量也猛增31.5%。在美國，這兩家公司的增長速度也要快於總體市場。要找出另一個在中美兩國發展都很好的品牌，也就只有別克（Buick）了。7. Arrogance with a purpose
7.刻意的狂妄
Who else but Mercedes could get away with using "The best or nothing" for its advertising tag line? It ranks up there with BMW's historic and enduring "ultimate driving machine." Even if the claims aren't always true, they underscore a level of ambition that cars from no other country can match. As one Zurich newspaper put it a few years ago, cars are as central to Germany as secret bank accounts are to Switzerland.
除了梅塞德斯之外，還有誰敢用“要麼最好，要麼什麼都不是”（The best or nothing）來做廣告詞呢？能與之比肩的只有寶馬那句歷史悠久的廣告語“終級駕駛機器”（ultimate driving machine）。雖然這番豪言壯語並不總能兌現，但它們宣示了德國廠商的信心，他們自信沒有任何一個國家的汽車可以與自己的產品相媲美。就像蘇黎世的一張報紙幾年前寫的那樣，汽車對德國的重要性堪比祕密銀行賬戶對瑞士的重要性。8. The price is very nearly the object
8.炫富利器
Sometimes, how much you pay for something -- as opposed to its function -- is the point of the exercise, like paying $3.5 million for dinner with Warren Buffett. German cars haven't gotten to that level yet, but they are getting close. Such as charging $137,500 for a 2013 Turbo 911 Porsche with all-wheel-drive -- and then asking for another $330 to apply the Porsche crest to the lid of the central console. Buyers of German cars love to complain about this stuff so you'll understand how deep their pockets are.
有的時候，人們購買某件東西，看重的不是它的實用性，爲這個東西花多少錢纔是重點——比如有人花350萬美元只爲與股神巴菲特吃一頓飯。德國車還沒有到那個地步，但是也快了。比如2013款四驅渦輪增壓的保時捷 911跑車售價高達137,500美元，要想把保時捷車標鑲到中控臺還要另加330美元。買德國車的人經常愛報怨這種事，好讓別人知道他是多麼有錢。9. Exclusive and super-exclusive
9.獨有，再獨有
The old Stork Club invented the idea of a club-within-a-club when it opened the Cub Room for celebrities to hide out from the hoi polloi. A regular $47,000 5-series BMW not good enough for you? How about a specially equipped M5 for $90,695? Mercedes has made this an art form with its Black Series -- special seats and trim, less weight -- layered on top of its AMG performance upgrades that hike the price of a C-class coupe to around $125,000.
史托克俱樂部（Stork Club）發明了一個“俱樂部中的俱樂部”的點子。這個俱樂部會給明星大腕專門開一個房間，好讓他們躲開粉絲的圍追堵截。如果你覺得一輛4.7萬美元的寶馬5系不夠顯示身價？花90,695美元來一臺特殊配置的5系如何？奔馳的“黑色系列”（Black Series）把這種手法上升到了一個新的高度。它在奔馳AMG的基礎上對性能進行了升級，外觀、內飾和座椅均採用特殊設計，整車重量更輕了，但同時這樣一款C級轎跑的價格也飆升到了12.5萬美元左右。
