The auto industry is on track to have its best year since 2006, with car sales of about 16 million units this year, up from 14.5 million in 2012. While fuel-efficient small cars were all the rage a few years ago, now it is once again pickup trucks and utility vehicles behind the boom.
美国的汽车行业有望实现自2006年以来销售最火爆的一年，今年到目前的汽车销售约为1,600万辆，较2012年的1,450万辆有所增长。尽管省油的小型车在几年前大行其道，不过现在皮卡和多用途车再次销售火爆。
Sales of full-size pickups, buoyed by a steady housing market, the Midwest energy boom, and lower gasoline prices, are up about 20 percent this year, with all three U.S. automakers racing to keep up with demand. The trend has been especially good for Chrysler Group, where sales of its redesigned Ram pickup, up 22.5 percent, have outpaced growth in the segment. Ram sales through October totaled 292, 633 and its share of the full-size pickup truck market has grown from 14.5 percent in 2010 to 16.3 percent year to date.
受美国房地产市场企稳、中西部地区能源行业繁荣发展以及汽油价格下降的支撑，今年全尺寸皮卡的销售大约增长20%，美国汽车三巨头均马力全开以满足需求。这个趋势对克莱斯勒集团（Chrysler Group）尤为有利，其重新设计的Ram皮卡销售增长22.5%，表现好于行业整体。截至今年10月底，Ram的总销量达292,633辆，其在全尺寸皮卡市场中的份额从2010年的14.5%提高至现在的16.3%。
Ford Motor have nothing to complain about, though. Both companies have seen 20 percent sales growth in pickups this year. GM’s Chevrolet division began rolling out a redesigned version of its Silverado pickup in June, and has done a good job managing the transition from the outgoing model to the new one without resorting to heavy discounts. Silverado sales are up 19.7 percent for the year, to 403, 435.
不过，通用汽车（General Motors）和福特汽车（Ford Motor）也没有什么可以抱怨的。两家公司今年的皮卡销售均增长20%。通用汽车的雪佛兰部门在6月开始推出重新设计的Silverado皮卡，非常出色地完成了新旧车型的过渡，无需采取大幅降价等促销手段。到目前为止，Silverado皮卡今年的销量增长了19.7%，达到403,435辆。
Meanwhile, Ford, which will unveil a new F-series design in 2014, is successfully defending its hold on the title of best-selling nameplate in America by emphasizing a more fuel-efficient engine and added technology. Ford has sold 623, 309 F-series pickups so far this year, up 19.8 percent from a year ago.
同时，即将在2014年发布全新设计的F系列的福特，通过重点突出其更节省燃料的引擎以及新增技术，成功守住全美最畅销品牌的称号。今年至今，福特已经售出623,309辆F系列皮卡，同比增长19.8%。
Heavy demand means higher prices, too. Average transaction prices for all full-size trucks in October jumped more than 5 percentage points from a year ago, to $39, 189, according to Kelley Blue Book. Ford has the highest prices in the segment, though, averaging more than $40, 000, because it sells more high-end luxury trucks than the others.
需求巨大也意味着价格上涨。根据美国权威汽车价值评估媒体《凯利蓝皮书》（the kelley blue book）的数据，今年10月全尺寸皮卡的平均交易价格同比增长超过5%，达到了39,189美元。福特在该领域的售价最高，平均售价超过40,000美元，原因是其售出的高端豪华型卡车比其他品牌都要多。
It’s not just pickups that are selling well, though. Crossover utilities like the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape are also hot, offering car buyers both flexibility and good fuel economy. CR-V has long been the best-seller in the segment, but the Escape, which was redesigned last year, is catching up fast. Through October, it trailed CR-V by only 1, 100 units, with sales of 250, 543.
不过，销售畅旺的不只是皮卡。本田CR-V和福特翼虎（Escape）等跨界多用途车的销售也非常火爆，为买家提供灵活性和良好的燃料经济性。CR-V一直以来都是该细分部门最畅销车型，不过翼虎正在快速追赶，该车去年推出的重新设计版本。截至10月底，翼虎的销量为250,543辆，仅比CR-V少1,100辆。
Ford’s investment in product development over the past several years is reflected in the widespread success of its model line, noted Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book. “Ten years ago Ford relied far too heavily on large trucks and SUVs to generate sales and profit, ” he said. Now, besides the Escape and F-series, its Fusion is successfully challenging the traditional segment leaders Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima. “It’s this balanced approach to product development that has the company approaching its best sales in almost decade, despite the most competitive new-car market I’ve ever seen.” The Camry looks like it will once again finish the year as the best-selling passenger car in America.
《凯利蓝皮书》资深分析师卡尔•布劳尔（Karl Brauer）表示，该车型系列的广泛成功反映了福特过去几年对产品开发的投资。“10年前，福特的销售和利润太过于依赖大型卡车和SUV，”他指出。现在，除了翼虎和F系列外，该公司的Fusion正成功地挑战该领域的传统领头羊丰田（Toyota）凯美瑞、本田（Toyota）雅阁和日产（Toyota）Altima。“正是这种均衡的产品开发使得公司销售接近近十年来的最好业绩，尽管目前我们正米娜对竞争最为激烈的新车市场。”到今年年底，凯美瑞看起来将再次成为全美最畅销的乘用车。
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