????2011年，經(jīng)濟衰退后期美國汽車市場競爭所的兩大主題是: （1）底特律的復興以及（2）豐田 （Toyota）的步履維艱。

????第三個同樣重要的主題卻鮮為提及----韓國汽車制造商現(xiàn)代（Hyundai）已是富甲一方。今夏，現(xiàn)代開始在美國市場銷售其小型車雅紳特（Accent），勢必將與福特（Ford）嘉年華（Fiesta），本田飛度（Fit）以及雪佛蘭（Chevrolet）即將面世的Sonic在車市上展開激烈的交鋒。

????Two main themes of 2011's post-recession competition in the U.S. car market so far are: 1) the rebound of Detroit and 2) the stumbles of Toyota.

????A third and equally significant development has drawn less attention, namely the surging fortunes of South Korean automaker Hyundai. This summer, Hyundai begins selling its Accent small car in the U.S., which is likely to contend strongly against Ford's Fiesta, Honda's Fit and Chevrolet's soon-to-be built Sonic.

????現(xiàn)代雅紳特：嘉年華終結(jié)者？

????現(xiàn)代正推行豪華車策略。由于并未采用獨立的品牌和銷售網(wǎng)絡(luò)，這一策略頗具匠心且成本相對低廉。現(xiàn)代希望藉此蠶食雷克薩斯（Lexus）和英菲尼迪（Infinity）豪華車的銷售市場。自Genesis豪華轎車和轎跑面世兩年后，現(xiàn)代推出了該車的改良版，新版擁有更加犀利的外形、更強勁的動力并配備全新八速自動變速箱。

????在小型車市場，雅紳特顯得誠意十足。現(xiàn)代顛覆性的中型車索納塔以及緊湊車伊蘭特備受評論人士的贊譽，且銷量喜人。緊隨前者的步伐，雅紳特新版已推出三廂版（四門），后續(xù)會有兩廂版（5門掀背）跟進。該車型具有每加侖40英里的公路燃油效率等級，無疑將受到善于精打細算消費者的青睞。

????今年前5個月，現(xiàn)代連同其旗下品牌起亞（Kia）在美國的市場份額增長了1.4%，而通用（GM）、福特（F）及克萊斯勒（Chrysler）三家只取得了0.9%的增長。從5月的零售市場來看，不計算車輛租賃公司的購買量，索納塔擊敗了雪佛蘭科魯茲（Cruze）、本田鋒范（Accord）及日產(chǎn)（Nissan）Altima，榮登中型家用車銷量冠軍。

????尤其難能可貴的是，5月現(xiàn)代所取得的銷售業(yè)績是建立在較低份額基數(shù)之上的。底特律三巨頭占據(jù)美國市場46.2%的江山，而現(xiàn)代和起亞僅占8.8%。但是沒人再敢小瞧現(xiàn)代，否則將重蹈輕視豐田（TM）、本田（HMC）和日產(chǎn)的覆轍。

????令現(xiàn)代美國高管自豪的不僅是車輛質(zhì)量和設(shè)計上的改觀。2009年失業(yè)率高居不下之時，公司的營銷部門引進了“保障”計劃，確保現(xiàn)代車主即使遭遇失業(yè)也能支付購車貸款。這一計劃并未給現(xiàn)代增加太多的成本負擔，而且還推動了銷售業(yè)績的攀升。

????現(xiàn)今，隨著失業(yè)憂慮的淡化，擔保計劃再次披掛上陣，即現(xiàn)代汽車車主購買新車時可享受舊車折價最低價保護。新車車主，如伊蘭特，自購買之日起，在今后的四年當中將按月獲悉該車的轉(zhuǎn)售價格。這一價格可以在購買一輛新現(xiàn)代時用于抵價。在現(xiàn)代汽車陣容的另一端，現(xiàn)代公司高管對于雅科仕豪華車出色的市場表現(xiàn)尤為興奮，產(chǎn)品策劃副總裁麥克?歐布雷恩說道。該車型正不斷蠶食雷克薩斯LS460、卡迪拉克（Cadillac）和英菲尼迪的市場份額。

????由于雅科仕品牌直接通過現(xiàn)代品牌經(jīng)銷商進行銷售，是一個面向大眾的品牌，經(jīng)銷商通常在提車后一并將貸款手續(xù)直接遞送到買主的家中或公司。多年前該公司就認為開辟新的品牌經(jīng)銷商成本太高，至少現(xiàn)在仍是如此。歐布雷恩說：“客戶的時間是最寶貴的。”

????本著將基本需求上升為品味這一做法，現(xiàn)代在高端市場打拼出了自己的天地。現(xiàn)代在豪華車市場雖然還是只小麻雀，但它已然站穩(wěn)腳跟。當初業(yè)界也曾恥笑雷克薩斯和英菲尼迪不知深淺，然而有了之后的教訓，相信沒人敢再輕視現(xiàn)代的前途。

????Hyundai Accent: Fiesta crasher?

????Hyundai is also capitalizing on a strategy to grab sales, mainly from Lexus and Infiniti, by pursuing a luxury-car strategy that is innovative and less costly than setting up a separate brand and dealer network. Two years after introducing its Genesis sedan and coupe, the automaker is bringing out a face-lifted version with styling nips and tucks, as well as a more powerful engine and new eight-speed automatic transmission.

????On the small-car front, Accent's bona fides are impressive. Available in four-door and, soon, in five-door hatchback versions, Accent comes on the heels of Hyundai's Sonata game-changing midsize sedan and its compact Elantra, both of which are highly acclaimed by reviewers and are selling well. The 40 mile-per-gallon highway rating will undoubtedly catch the attention of budget-conscious consumers.

????In the first five months of the year, Hyundai and its affiliate Kia together added 1.4 points of U.S. market share, compared with a collective gain of 0.9 points for General Motors (GM), Ford (F), and Chrysler. On the basis of retail sales in May, not including sales to rental fleets, Sonata led all midsize family sedans, outselling the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Accord and Nissan Altima.

????What's all the more remarkable is that Hyundai's share gain through May comes off a much smaller base. Detroit-based automakers account for 46.2% of the market, compared with Hyundai and Kia's 8.8%. But no one is taking Hyundai lightly anymore, especially those who recall how Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC) and Nissan were underestimated.

????Hyundai's U.S. executives can take pride in more than just the improvements in vehicle quality and design. The company's marketers introduced an "Assurance" program in 2009 when unemployment was at its worst to guarantee car payments for buyers in the event that they lose their jobs. That program didn't cost Hyundai much, its executives said, and kept sales strong.

????With job loss now less of a worry, Assurance has been rebooted as a guarantee that when Hyundai owners decide to trade in their vehicles they will receive a minimum resale value. The buyer of a new Hyundai Elantra, for example, knows month-by-month what the resale value of the car will be for four years from the day it's bought. That amount can be applied toward purchase of a new Hyundai. At the other end of their vehicle lineup, Hyundai executives are "thrilled" with the sales performance of the Equus luxury sedan, says Mike O'Brien, vice president of product planning. The sedan has filched sales mainly from Lexus's LS460 sedan as well as Cadillac and Infiniti.

????Because Equus is sold through Hyundai dealerships, a middle-of-the-road brand, dealers routinely pick up cars and deliver loaners to customers' homes and businesses. The company years ago decided that building a separate dealership was too expensive, at least for now. "What's really valuable to our customers is their time," O'Brien says.

????By turning necessity into a virtue, Hyundai has forced its way into the high end of the market. It's a player in luxury sales, albeit a small one. Remembering how the industry once scoffed at the effrontery of Lexus and Infiniti, few are underestimating Hyundai's future.