????2011年還剩下四個多月，但“2011年度最不受歡迎的汽車”究竟花落誰家，我們現在已經大致有了譜。從汽車評論員的一片噓聲來看，這個“殊榮”理所當然地落到了日產（Nissan）美人奴（Murano）跨界敞篷車身上。此前既不叫好也不叫座的車型不光只有梅塞德斯的R級車，早年間的旁蒂克阿茲特克（Pontiac Aztek）也曾被貶得一無是處。現在評論員們在方方面面都給了美人奴差評，說它笨拙、矮胖、顛簸而且反應遲鈍。

????簡單來說，美人奴跨界敞篷車就是一款四輪驅動的美人奴跨界車，只是用自動折疊的軟頂取代了金屬的硬頂，而且取消了兩個后方車門。它打出的噱頭是“有史以來第一款敞篷跨界車【如果不把吉普牧馬人（Jeep Wrangler）算在內的話】。它的懸掛被抬高了，行李箱蓋的位置也很高，因此這款車看起來有點像一顆安了四個輪子的洋薊（一種蔬菜——譯注）。這是一款典型的小眾車型，它最多只能坐下四個人，廠商建議零售價為每臺47,520美元。

????要說這款美人奴跨界敞篷車還是獲得了一些女性評論員的好評的，她們喜歡它較高的坐姿和載物能力以及四驅功能。例如《洛杉磯時報》（Los Angeles Times）評論員蘇珊?卡朋特就稱它為“一款活力四射且舒適愜意的‘媽媽車’，適合那些喜歡冒險和奢華的女性。”而女性生活科技咨詢網站ThatTechChick.com的杰西卡?本頓則稱：“我在試駕之前就非常偏愛這款車型，試駕之后更是對美人奴跨界敞篷車鐘愛有加。”

????而男性評論員對這款跨界敞篷車則并不這么熱情——這已經是最客氣的說法了。比如專業汽車資訊網站Edmunds.com的汽車編輯詹姆斯?里斯威克聽說日產在生產這款跨界敞篷車時，他就忍不住問道：“他們腦子進水了嗎？”見到實車以后，里斯威克發現這款汽車的造型實在太叛逆了，讓他忍不住扭頭看看【《星球大戰》里的】七尺多毛生物（楚巴卡）是不是坐在里頭。

????《Road & Track》汽車雜志援引了一名觀察家的評論，他說美人奴的這款跨界敞篷車看起來就像“一個古怪的機器突變體”。然后該雜志給出了自己的評價：“日產耗資數十億日元，在工藝上付出了巨大的努力，終于創造出了‘世界第一款四驅跨界敞篷車’，想想就令人激動，不過看到這臺車的真身，你會更‘激動’。”

????不過和丹?尼爾的評論相比，他們的評論已經算是相當客氣的了。丹?尼爾是《華爾街日報》（Wall Street Journal）的評論員，德高望重，很有影響力。在我的記憶里，他是唯一一位得過普利策獎的汽車評論員，文風華麗。這次他對美人奴跨界敞篷車的描述也是特別生動：“笨拙、顛簸、長得丑，車前端抖得能調酒，差勁兒得要命——這款跨界敞篷車就是一坨光鮮的老鼠屎。”

????丹?尼爾還說道：“跨界敞篷車的概念不是站不住腳，只是日產的執行太差勁了。”他抱怨這款車的加速和柔性車身，說：“這東西每次軋過一個小坑，它的下巴就像《活寶三人組》（Three Stooges）里的柯利一樣抖個不停：唔啊唔啊唔啊……”

????這些苛責也算是對日產的恨鐵不成鋼。日產雖然標榜自己“創新無極限”，但這已經不是它第一次受到這種抨擊了。日產2003年推出了一款名叫“貴士”（Quest）的大型MPV，為了讓它更迎合“性感媽媽”們的口味，日產把它設計得很有少婦的曲線美，不過這款車型最后反響平平。現在日產又推出了一款亂七八糟的Juke跨界車，再次挑戰了消費者審美品味的極限。

????雖然這款美人奴跨界敞篷車飽受差評，但這并不是蓋棺定論。汽車評論員們也跟影評人和書評人一樣，他們不能像工程師和設計師一樣踐行自己的審美，所以只能遠遠地評頭論足一番，只有汽車和他們的品味一致時，他們才會表揚一番。他們對工藝上的顛覆式創新存在著本能的反感，比如很多評論員不喜歡福特（Ford）的觸屏中控臺和寶馬（BMW）的iDrive控制系統。此外和記者一樣，這一行也有羊群效應和從眾心理，少數一流的評論員說了什么，大多數人便開始人云亦云。

????與很多進口車的遭遇一樣，美人奴跨界越界車之所以飽受詬病，也是因為評論員門和這款車沒有什么切身的聯系。而美國廠商都和記者們保持著良好的關系，這種關系可以回溯到好多年以前。而日產公司的大多數車型都是在美國以外研發的，并沒有這種優勢。要罵街的話，隔著幾條街肯定要比站在人家家門口容易。

????最后請允許我也給這款車提點不同的意見。我已經開了這款美人奴好幾天了。我發現自己的看法和男同行和女同行們都不同。我也同意它太重了，價格也太貴，加速性也不能讓飆車迷興奮起來。不過它在幾個方面還是值得表揚的。首先它比奔馳R級的創新性更強，比旁蒂克的阿茲特克做工更精良，而且造型也比市面上的任何其他車型更前衛。

????關于美人奴，還有很多評論員沒有發出自己的聲音，尤其是一貫直言不諱的《消費者報告》（Consumer Reports）雜志的分析師們尚未發言。但目前來說，美人奴跨界敞篷車成為“年度差評車”，已經是板上釘釘的事。

????譯者：樸成奎

????The year has four more months left, but a chorus of boos from the nation's auto reviewers makes it evident that the clear favorite for the title of "Most Disliked 2011 Car" is ... the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Not since the Mercedes R-class, and, before that, the Pontiac Aztek has the overall verdict been so bruisingly negative. The CrossCabrio has been tarred for being lumpy, dumpy, shaky, and sluggish.

????In simple terms, the Murano CrossCabriolet is an all-wheel-drive Murano crossover in which an automatic folding fabric top replaces the metal roof, and the two rear doors have been eliminated. It has been billed as the first convertible crossover (if you exclude the Jeep Wrangler). With its raised suspension and high deck lid, the CrossCabrio looks somewhat like an artichoke on wheels, the prototypical niche vehicle. It seats four and, available only fully-loaded, has an MSRP of $47,520.

????The CrossCabrio does appeal to a few female reviewers who like the high seating position, carrying capacity, and all-wheel-drive. Susan Carpenter, who writes for the Los Angeles Times calls it "a spirited-yet-cushy mom mobile for those who value adventure and luxury," while Jessica Benton of ThatTechChick.com declared, "I was partial to the Murano prior to test driving it. But now I am even more in love with the Murano CrossCabriolet."

????Their male colleagues, on the other hand, are less enthusiastic -- to say the very least. James Riswick, automotive editor of Edmunds.com, wanted to know, "What on Earth are they thinking?" when he heard about the CrossCabrio. After seeing it for the first time, Riswick found it so bizarre that he looked for a "seven-foot furry creature riding shotgun."

????Road & Track quoted one observer who thought the CrossCabrio resembled "some weird mechanical mutant" and then added on its own: "Thinking of the billions of yen and exhaustive engineering efforts needed to create the 'world's first all-wheel-drive crossover convertible' is as shocking as the CrossCabriolet itself."

????But their comments were moderate compared with the broadside leveled by Dan Neil, the respected and influential critic of the Wall Street Journal. Neil, the only auto reviewer in my memory to win a Pulitzer Prize, is fond of using flamboyant phrases in his writing, and his description of the CrossCabrio is particularly expressive: "Sluggish, wobbly, weird-looking, with a front-end shake that would mix a good daiquiri, crazy-awful ... CrossCabriolet is like a sorbet of mouse scat."

????Neil goes on to say, "the concept of the CC isn't indefensible, only the execution." He complains about its acceleration and its flexible body. "When this thing hits a pothole, it shakes its jowls like Curly from the Three Stooges -- wubba-wubba-wubba."

????That's tough love for Nissan, which prides itself on "innovation without limits," but it's taken hits before. The Japanese automaker tried unsuccessfully to liven up its 2003 Quest minivan by making it curvy for "sexy moms" and is currently testing the outer limits of automotive taste with the chaotic Juke crossover.

????The reviewers' judgment of the CrossCabrio is not necessarily final. Car critics can be like movie and book reviewers: Unable to practice in their chosen field as engineers and designers, they critique from afar -- advising the pros on what THEY'D do if they were in charge They have an instinctive dislike for engineering surprises, such as Ford's touchscreen and BMW's iDrive controls. And, like other journalists, they are inclined to a herd mentality and the lead of a few A-list reviewers.

????Like many imports, the CrossCabrio also suffers because reviewers don't have a personal connection with it. Detroit Three engineers maintain journalist relationships that sometimes stretch back years. That's not true of companies like Nissan that perform most of their car development overseas. When you are being critical, it is always easier to be critical from a distance.

????Let me also add a dissenting opinion on the CrossCabrio. Having driven the Murano for several days, I find myself falling between my male and female colleagues. While I agree that it is overweight, overpriced, and won't excite any hot-shoe drivers, the CrossCabrio is praiseworthy in several respects. It is more innovative than the R-class, more refined than the Aztek, and more imaginative than just about anything else on the road.

????There are more voices to be heard on the Murano, notably the fearless auto analysts at Consumer Reports. But for now, it is safe to label the CrossCabriolet the most disrespected car of 2011.