美國車市的紅藍之爭

????相比之下，進口車則在東、西海岸大放異彩。各種理論紛紛對此加以解釋，不過進口車貌似就是比美國本土車更適應更狹窄的街巷、更繁忙的交通、更近的目的地。進口車買家們在得知市場上有了新選擇后，也更容易成為第一批“吃螃蟹的人”，而且更不容易受過去的偏好左右。美國車占當地市場比重最低的十個州分別是：夏威夷、華盛頓特區、加利福尼亞、馬薩諸塞、康涅迪格、新澤西、羅德島、佛羅里達、馬里蘭和華盛頓州。

????如果我們把目光投向都市區，會發現地緣的區別變得更加明顯。美國本土車在布法羅、印第安納波利斯、克里弗蘭等歷史較老、增長較慢的都市里還算根深蒂固，但是在邁阿密、勞代爾堡、圣地亞哥、波特蘭等快速增長的地區則號召力不足。而進口品牌則基本主宰了紐約市、洛杉磯、華盛頓特區等“精英聚集地”。

????如果把福特Fusion和豐田凱美瑞（Toyota Camry）這兩款同級轎車的地區銷量拿來對比，就會發現差距同樣很明顯。

????福特Fusion在中西部地區最流行，尤其是在密歇根州，幾乎占據了該州所有車型銷量的6%，隨后是俄亥俄、堪薩斯、肯塔基等州。

????而豐田凱美瑞所占市場份額最高的州，首先當屬阿拉巴馬、肯塔基和北卡羅來納等立場堅定的“紅州”。這似乎有點讓人吃驚，原來豐田的大型汽車廠就坐落在肯塔基州，其它兩個州也是肯塔基的鄰居。加利福尼亞和佛羅里達作為美國人口最多的兩個州，也都是凱美瑞最暢銷的十個州之一。

????底特律三巨頭已經在可持續性、技術、設計和質量上做出了重大飛躍，現在他們必須開始征服那些以前從來沒買過國產車的顧客。

????譯者：樸成奎

????By contrast, the imports shine on the coasts. Theories abound why this is so, but import cars seem better adapted where streets are narrower, traffic is heavier, and destinations are closer together. Import buyers also tend to be early adopters who are better informed about choices available to them and are less inhibited by past preferences. The 10 states with the lowest proportion of domestic sales are, in order: Hawaii, District of Columbia, California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Florida, Maryland, and Washington State.

????The geographic distinction is even more sharply drawn when you look at metropolitan areas. Domestics are anchored to older, slower-growing metro areas like Buffalo, Indianapolis, and Cleveland. But they lag in fast-growing regions such as Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, San Diego, and Portland. Import brands meanwhile dominate in opinion centers like New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

????The divide is just as pronounced when you compare the regional sales of two popular midsize cars: the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry.

????The Fusion is most popular in the Midwest, starting with Michigan, where it accounts for nearly 6% of all car sales, followed by Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, and so on.

????Camry's top 10 states in market share begin with red state stalwarts Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina. But that is surprising only until you consider that Kentucky is home to Toyota's huge manufacturing complex, and the other two states are nearby. California and Florida, two of the nation's most populous states, are also on the Camry list.

????The Detroit Three have made huge strides in sustainability, technology, design, and quality. Now they have to start conquesting buyers who haven't shopped domestic before.