5.中國經(jīng)濟降溫，誰的冬天來臨？

????通用和大眾是在中國做得最大的兩家西方汽車廠商，一些德國豪車品牌也有相當一部分銷量依賴于中國市場。奧迪（Audi）是中國豪車市場的領(lǐng)軍品牌，它在中國賣出的汽車是在美國的兩倍，寶馬（BMW）在中國的銷量也與奧迪旗鼓相當。作為世界第二大高端汽車消費市場，如果中國無法維持往年的增長速度，許多制定了宏偉擴張計劃的高端品牌可能要失望了。

6. 歐寶何去何從

????通用汽車公司2009年曾想將歐寶（Opel）出售，目前正再次試圖對歐寶進行重組，這可不是件容易的事。在歐債危機影響下，歐洲車市也迎來了嚴冬。另外，歐洲汽車產(chǎn)業(yè)長期以來一直存在產(chǎn)能過剩的問題，明年產(chǎn)能過剩率或?qū)⑦_到20%。歐寶的市場占有率僅有8%左右，并不處在優(yōu)勢地位，而且它的品牌形象較為模糊，很容易被大眾汽車壓倒。通用已經(jīng)把支持歐寶的副總裁史蒂夫?吉斯基派到了歐寶任職，希望通過削減成本，更好地將其整合到通用的全球運營中，使歐寶起死回生。歐寶迄今已經(jīng)歷多次裁員，員工屢受打擊。就算歐洲經(jīng)濟繼續(xù)惡化下去，吉斯基的改革也可能會面臨來自歐寶員工的內(nèi)部阻力。

7. 2013款福特福星有望加冕明年的年度轎車嗎？

????福特福星（Fusion）一直是暢銷榜上的常青樹，2013款福星轎車經(jīng)歷了徹頭徹尾的升級換代，而且被搬到了全球平臺上。新款福星將在一月初面世，在面世之前，福特一直對新款福星的細節(jié)守口如瓶。除了鮮明的設(shè)計風格之外，新款福星預(yù)計還將采用一系列史無前例的動力配置，預(yù)計將為業(yè)界設(shè)立新的節(jié)油標準。它很可能將與升級后的寶馬3系爭奪2012年度轎車的桂冠。

8. 福特總裁艾倫?穆拉利何時退休？

????新款福星的發(fā)布將再次強有力地證明穆拉利“一個福特”戰(zhàn)略的正確性，因此穆拉利可能會借此光榮退休。不過現(xiàn)在看來，這位精力充沛的66歲老人還沒有要退休的跡象。福特一向有突然換帥的歷史，很少有權(quán)力平穩(wěn)交接的經(jīng)驗，而且現(xiàn)在看來福特也沒有計劃，指定一個繼任者以便穆拉利“傳幫帶”一段時間。考慮到穆拉利任內(nèi)的卓越表現(xiàn)以及他對福特股價的影響，因此一旦福特突然換帥，投資人可能會大受震動。

9. 電動汽車制造商特斯拉（Tesla）和菲斯科（Fisker）是否會成為共和黨的出氣筒？因為它們也像通用和Solyndra公司一樣花著聯(lián)邦政府的銀子。

????為了鼓勵可充電汽車的研發(fā)和生產(chǎn)，奧巴馬政府大手筆為這兩家初創(chuàng)公司提供了總計超過10億美元的能源部（Energy Department）貸款擔保。共和黨指責這筆錢花錯了地方。2012年，這兩家公司都要開始發(fā)布新車了。如果其中任何一家公司掉了鏈子，來自共和黨的攻擊和指責將不可必免。

10. 電影《諜中諜4》的上映會不會刺激寶馬的銷量？

????寶馬公司一向擅于在好萊塢大片中搞植入式廣告。它在四部007系列電影中都植入了自己的廣告，現(xiàn)在又讓阿湯哥在《諜中諜4：幽靈協(xié)議》（Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol）中開上了寶馬i8——這是一款電池動力、碳纖維車身的概念車，采用了拉風之極的蝴蝶式車門。觀眾看到了這款i8和影片中其它光鮮亮麗的寶馬轎車后，很可能會為了模仿阿湯哥而買上一臺寶馬。不過他們在別的方面就不必模仿了——比如試圖攀爬全球第一高樓、迪拜“哈里發(fā)塔”。

????譯者：樸成奎

5. Who gets frozen out when China cools off?

????GM and Volkswagen are the two biggest Western car producers in China, but German luxury brands rely on China for a higher proportion of their sales. Audi, China's luxury car leader, sells more than twice as many cars there than it does in the U.S., while BMW sells nearly as many. As the world's second-largest market for upscale cars, China could upset expansion plans for top-shelf brands if it stops growing at the rate of past years.

6. Whither Opel?

????GM, which tried to sell Opel in 2009, is now attempting another restructuring, and the job won't be easy. The European financial crisis has flattened car sales, and chronic industry overcapacity could reach 20% next year. With a market share of around 8%, Opel is not operating from a position of strength, and its blurry brand image makes it vulnerable to being steamrollered by Volkswagen. Vice-chairman Steve Girsky, an Opel supporter, has been dispatched to fix the GM unit by cutting costs and better integrating it into the automaker's global operations. As if deteriorating European economics weren't bad enough, Girsky is likely to face resistance from a wounded workforce that has been battered by past cutbacks.

7. Will the 2013 Ford Fusion be car of the year?

????Already a perennial best seller, the Fusion gets a top-to-bottom overhaul for 2013 and moves to a global platform. Ford is being tight-lipped about details prior to the car's unveiling in early January, but in addition to dramatic styling, the Fusion is expected to set new standards for fuel economy with an unprecedented array of powertrains. It could be vying with the revamped BMW 3-series for end of the year honors.

8. When will Alan Mulally retire?

????Ford's CEO could go out with the Fusion launch providing a ringing affirmation of his One Ford strategy but there are no signs the still-energetic 66-year-old will do so. With its history of unplanned management changes, Ford has little experience with peaceful transitions and seemingly has no plans to provide a Mulally successor an extended break-in period. Given Mulally's standout performance and his impact on Ford's stock price, the abrupt change could shock investors.

9. Will Tesla and Fisker become GOP punching bags for taking federal money like GM and Solyndra?

????The Obama administration lavished Energy Department loan guarantees that total more than $1 billion on the two startups for the development and production of rechargeable cars. Republicans are complaining the money was misspent. Both companies will be in launch mode this year with new models. If either one falters, the name-calling and finger-pointing will begin in earnest.

10. Will Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol give BMW a boost?

????After sprinkling its cars through four James Bond movies, BMW puts IM agent Ethan Hunt in the driver's seat for the latest installment of the action series. Star billing goes to the i8, a carbon-fiber battery-powered concept car with butterfly doors. Audiences seeing this and other models featuring the blue-and-white spinning propeller in glamorous settings are expected to imitate Tom Cruise by driving a BMW. Presumably, they won't trying to imitate Cruise in other ways -- like trying to scale the Burj Kakifa in Dubai.