????強勁的動力和趾高氣揚的造型已經重返汽車制造業。

????雷克薩斯(Lexus)本周將在底特律展示一款搭載5.0升發動機、能夠產生500馬力的運動型轎車。而斯巴魯公司(Subaru)則宣稱，它的下一代WRX-STi轎車會“讓你產生打霰彈獵槍的感覺。”

????通用汽車公司(General Motors Co.)的熱門新車Corvette Stingray剛剛在周一早上贏得年度汽車大獎，或許恰好彰顯了汽車業最近的情緒變化——放棄精瘦，綠色和節能等理念，轉而青睞快速，野蠻和粗野的車型。通用將展示一款改進后的Stingray系列跑車——Z06，動力輸出可達625至650馬力。

????就連寶馬(BMW)旗下品牌Mini（從名稱就可看出這個品牌的指導精神），也將展示一款新版硬頂車型。這款轎車應該是有史以來形體最大、動力最強勁的Mini車。

????至少有50輛新車和概念車將在周六開始向公眾開放的底特律北美國際汽車展(North American International Auto Show)亮相。經歷了多年因銷量不佳而導致的預算緊張之后，汽車制造商終于開始加大新車型的研發開支。

????自雷曼兄弟公司(Lehman Brothers)2008年轟然倒塌以來，全球汽車業一直在艱難地破產重組，合并和裁員。同樣，這段時期的新車也更可能是燃油經濟性，氣電混合動力或純電動汽車。這些轎車的使用成本更低，更加契合經濟停滯不前和就業市場蕭瑟的宏觀走勢。

????現如今，隨著美國股市接近歷史高位，經濟增長重現抬頭之勢，美國的汽車銷量正在節節攀升。汽車制造商正在向重返展廳的消費者提供傳統的迷幻藥：速度和運動感造型。日產公司(Nissan)旗下豪車品牌英菲尼迪(Infiniti)展示了一款名為 Q50 Eau Rouge的概念車，公司高管聲稱這款概念車可能會成為未來一款車型的基礎。

????談到這款車型的潛力時，總部位于香港的英菲尼迪汽車有限公司總裁約翰?德?尼琛說：“我希望它將配備500馬力和600磅-英尺的扭矩。我們目前可以利用一系列具有這種性能的發動機，經過大幅工程改造之后，這些發動機可以表現出英菲尼迪的個性，它們完全可以容納在Q50引擎室內部。”

????盡管汽車制造商的聲勢不小，但它們也面臨美國和其他國家日益嚴格的燃油效率規則的約束。更嚴格的規則意味著，普通轎車（不一定是展臺上的那些汽車）肯定將變得更小，更輕。在一定程度上，巧用更輕的材料有助于實現燃油效率目標。福特汽車公司(Ford Motor)日前宣布，它將在旗下F系列全尺寸皮卡車中使用更多的鋁材料。盡管這樣做將增加成本和制造工藝的復雜性，但它可以降低汽車重量。

????雖然最熱門、最快和最性感的轎車備受矚目，但這類轎車的銷量有限。比如，通用汽車旗下的雪佛蘭汽車公司(Chevrolet)去年售出了大約1.5萬輛克爾維特超級跑車(Corvette)，以及大約25萬輛雪佛蘭科魯茲緊湊型轎車(Chevrolet Cruze)。由于克爾維特剛剛推出新車型，這款超跑今年的銷量有望大幅增長。受到汽車制造商的鼓動，消費者或許會產生擁有一輛克爾維特超跑的夢想，也可能會去展廳過過眼癮。但如果消費者需要一輛代步工具的話，他們還是會購買一輛科魯茲。

????底特律，東京和斯圖加特車展兜售的是夢想，而不僅僅是轎車。（財富中文網）

????譯者：葉寒??

????Power and swagger have returned to auto making.

????Lexus is displaying a sports sedan this week in Detroit with a 5.0-liter engine that could generate as much as 500 horsepower. Subaru's next-generation WRX-STi will "make your gut feel like it's riding shotgun," the company announced.

????General Motors Co.'s hot new Corvette Stingray won Car of the Year on Monday morning, perhaps an indicator of the industry's mood – lately – away from lean, green, and efficient and toward the quick, brutish, and nasty. GM (GM) is showing a souped-up Stingray variety, the Z06, with an output of 625 to 650 horsepower.

????Even Mini, the BMW brand whose name suggests its guiding spirit, is showing a new version of its hardtop supposed to be its largest and most powerful ever.

????At least 50 new vehicles and concepts are making their debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which will open to the public on Saturday. Automakers have been boosting their spending on development of new models after several years of tight budgets tied to poor sales.

????Since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, the global auto industry has struggled with bankruptcy reorganizations, consolidation, and retrenchment. Likewise, new cars have been more likely to be fuel-sipping eco-mobiles, gas-electric hybrids, or pure electric vehicles, which are less costly to operate and more in tune with a stagnant economy and a barren jobs market.

????Now, with U.S. stock markets near all-time highs and economic growth somewhat rekindled, U.S. car sales have been climbing. As buyers return to showrooms, automakers are offering traditional catnip: speed and sporty styling. Infiniti, Nissan's luxury division, displayed a concept that its executives say could be the basis of a future model, which it called Q50 Eau Rouge.

????Speaking about the model's potential, Johan de Nysschen, head of Hong Kong-based Infiniti said, "I would expect it to feature over 500 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. We have access to a range of engines featuring this performance capability which, with a fair amount of engineering effort, can be developed to exhibit Infiniti character and accommodated within the Q50 engine bay."

????Notwithstanding the flash and dash, automakers are constrained by fuel efficiency rules that are scheduled to grow more stringent in the U.S. and abroad. Tougher rules mean that the average car, not necessarily the one on the display stand, must be smaller and lighter. To some extent, clever use of lighter materials can help achieve efficiency goals. Ford Motor (F) announced that it would use more aluminum in its F Series full-size pickup truck, which adds to cost and manufacturing complexity but reduces its weight.

????For all the attention they attract, the hottest, fastest, and sexiest cars only sell in limited numbers. GM's Chevrolet division, for example, last year sold about 15,000 Corvettes and about 250,000 Chevrolet Cruze compact sedans. This year, Corvette sales should spike, owing to the introduction of a new model. But while shoppers are encouraged to dream about Corvette, and they may visit a showroom to see one, they'll buy a Cruze if they need basic transportation.

????Detroit, Tokyo, and Stuttgart sell dreams, not just cars.