克莱斯勒的烦恼

    自克莱斯勒（Chrysler）2009年破产以来，在塞吉欧•马奇欧尼的妙手治理之下，菲亚特（Fiat）和克莱斯勒联盟在稳定的同时也拥有了偿付能力。然而，菲亚特在欧 洲的销量连续6年下跌，由此带来的负面效应如今也影响到了克莱斯勒，迫使它收紧了资金预算。

    未来产品计划一直是汽车制造商最为精确的晴雨表。本月初，马奇欧尼取消了原本定于今年发布的四款基于菲亚特的新车型，分别是两款克莱斯勒车型和两款道奇 （Dodge）车型。此举显示，他对前景并不乐观。

    这一由2009年策略升级而来的产品计划也预示着美国菲亚特家族将迎来新的成员——但是要等到2015年。据推测，马奇欧尼认为届时欧洲和菲亚特的状况会有所改善。 密歇根州特洛伊咨询公司HIS首席分析师特雷西•瀚德勒称：“我估计，推迟是为了留住现金。那些本来属于克莱斯勒、道奇和吉普（Jeep）的车型都会流向菲亚特。”

    另一款推迟发布的车型将是吉普大型7座SUV，该车将再次启用Jeep Wagoneer这个名字。目前，该车的上市时间预计为2015年。

    去年，克莱斯勒是底特律三大汽车制造商中唯一的一家在美国斩获了更多市场份额的公司。这在很大程度上归功于Ram 皮卡、道奇Caravan以及克莱斯勒200和克莱斯勒 300轿车等车型的良好业绩。但是，基于菲亚特Alfa Romeo平台的紧凑车型道奇Dart 的销量却不尽人意。

    Dart有着不错的评价。买家对这款车型反应平平的原因有很多，包括来自于诸如福特（Ford）福克斯和本田（Honda）思域的激烈竞争，引擎和变速器的错误搭配以及 消费者对道奇做小型车这一举动并不买账。汽车市场研究和产品分析公司AutoPacific分析师大卫•苏立文称：“克莱斯勒在吸引Dart新买主方面存在问题。”然而他对克莱斯勒给 予了高度评价，因为公司宁愿多花时间打造“完美”车型，而不是仓促上马。

    克莱斯勒正在开发9速自动变速箱，以提振Dart车型的人气和销售业绩。未来几年之内的另一个重大计划就是推出Alfa Romeo，其首发将是将于今年面世的4C轿跑。随 后，其他5款新Alfa车型将在2016年面世。

    这家美国汽车制造商第四季度的利润为3.78亿美元，较一年前上升了68%。但是，这个季度还是没能给克莱斯勒带来辉煌的一年，因为克莱斯勒所面临的困境是：过小 的规模——尽管身后有菲亚特这颗大树——难以为公司带来足够的利润，因而也难以在全球范围内与大众和丰田（Toyota）这样的对手竞争。

    2月3日，马奇欧尼在都灵的讲话中提到，他打算在2014年将菲亚特和克莱斯勒合并成一家汽车公司。一家新的以美国为总部的汽车公司可能会因此而诞生。与此同时， 他发誓将在意大利生产奢华车型Alfas和玛莎拉蒂，而且可能创建一个面向发展中国家的低成本汽车新品牌。

    如果他能实现这些计划，马奇欧尼无疑将再创奇迹，而这将成为世界汽车制造界最为伟大的创举之一。如果欧洲不景气的市场能够有所回升（而且快速回升），那么他 获得成功的可能性将得到极大的提升。（财富中文网）

    译者：翔

    Sergio Marchionne has worked wonders keeping the alliance between Fiat and Chrysler steady and solvent since the latter's 2009 bankruptcy. But the repercussions of the sixth straight year of falling European sales on Fiat are now hitting Chrysler, forcing a tightening of capital budgets.

    With future product plans an automaker's most accurate barometer, Marchionne last week signaled heavy weather ahead by canceling four new Fiat- based models, two for Chrysler and two for Dodge, that were to have been announced this year.

    The product plan, an updated version of a 2009 strategy, also shows new models being added for the Fiat franchise in the U.S. – but not until 2015. Presumably Marchionne is banking on an improvement in Europe and Fiat by then. "My supposition is that the delays are about conserving cash," said Tracy Handler, principal analyst for IHS in Troy, Michigan. "The cars that were going to go to Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep are going to go to Fiat instead."

    Another vehicle delayed will be a large seven-passenger Jeep sport utility under the revived Jeep Wagoneer name. The debut is now scheduled for 2015.

    Chrysler was the only one of three Detroit-based automakers to gain U.S. market share last year, largely on the strength of vehicles like the Ram pickup, Dodge Caravan and Chrysler 200 and Chrysler 300 sedans. But the Dodge Dart, a new compact car based on a Fiat platform used by Alfa Romeo has lagged behind.

    The Dart garnered strong reviews. The reasons why car buyers haven't responded enthusiastically range from fierce competition against the likes of Ford (F) Focus and Honda (HMC) Civic to the wrong mix of engines and transmissions to poor consumer regard for Dodge as a maker of small cars. "Chrysler has issues getting new buyers in the door in Dart's segment," said Dave Sullivan, an analyst for AutoPacific. He gave Chrysler high marks for spending extra time to make new models "perfect," rather than rush them into production.

    Chrysler is developing a nine-speed automatic transmission that could lead to an improvement in the Dart's popularity and sales. Another critical initiative over the next few years will be the introduction of Alfa Romeo, starting with its 4C sports couple that will be shown this year and then five new Alfa models through 2016.

    The U.S automaker's fourth-quarter profit was $378 million, up 68% from a year earlier. The quarter capped an impressive year in light of Chrysler's main impediment: that it's too small—even with the benefits of the Fiat affiliation—to generate sufficient profit to compete on a global scale against the likes of Volkswagen and Toyota (TM).

    Marchionne, speaking in Turin on Feb. 3, said he intended to merge Fiat and Chrysler into a single car company in 2014. The result likely will be a new U.S.-based automaker. Meantime, he is vowing to build luxury Alfas and Maseratis in Italy and may initiate a new low-cost car brand for developing nations.

    If he can achieve his initiatives Marchionne will have pulled another rabbit out of his hat, a feat that will be considered among the greatest in global automaking. His chances can improve considerably with a pickup—and very soon—of the convulsive European car market.