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    一个靠打折促销过日子的品牌，一家技术落后、产品质量差强人意的公司，如何才能在不景气的经济环境下实现销量的增长？

    这就是克莱斯勒的秘诀所在了，而且最近它已经产生了令人惊叹的成果。就在两年前，克莱斯勒（Chrysler）还被抛在路边等死，但现在它已经悄悄恢复了元气，洗心革面，一跃成为2011年最成功的全线汽车厂商。

    今年克莱斯勒的销量已经上涨了24%，超过了福特（Ford）销量增幅的两倍，比通用汽车（General Motors）快了60%——通用是美国汽车业另一个接受了美国政府破产保护的受益者。今年十月，这种差距表现得更为明显，克莱斯勒的销量跃升了27%，而通用和福特的销量只是分别上涨了2%和6%。

    汽车销售是个非常复杂的过程，中间有好几个关键的节点，因此克莱斯勒的突然成功愈发显得惹人瞩目。在汽车销售老手的圈子里，有所谓的“六个月销售漏斗”一说，也就是说消费者先是对车型产生认知，然后开始调查、熟悉行情，然后形成自己的看法，将购车范围缩小到某几款车型，最后经过慎重考虑，才去掏钱购买。这是个逐步缩小包围圈的过程。当被问到如何解释克莱斯勒今年的销量飙升时，克莱斯勒的一位发言人列出了好几个因素，包括车型的重新设计受到消费者的欢迎，从而带来了顾客感知度的提高；《消费者报告》（Consumer Reports）等第三方权威媒体的推荐；抓人眼球的广告；更清晰的品牌描述；租赁融资的范围扩大等。

    以下谨为大家总结克莱斯勒今年之所以能够大获成功的几个关键因素，以及未来取得更大成功的关键所在。

The comeback kid

    How does an auto company, saddled with discount brands, outdated technology, and hand-me-down products, grow sales in a becalmed economy?

    That's Chrysler's secret sauce and it has been producing spectacular results. Left for dead by the side of the road two years ago, it has quietly rehabilitated itself and now stands as 2011's most accomplished full-line manufacturer.

    Chrysler has seen its sales rise 24% this year. That's 60% faster than General Motors, the industry's other beneficiary of a government-sponsored bankruptcy, and more than double the rate at Ford, its fair-haired boy. The difference was even more stark in October. Chrysler's sales jumped 27% vs. 2% for GM and 6% for Ford.

    Chrysler's sudden success is all the more remarkable because selling cars is a complicated process with multiple pivot points. Sales floor veterans talk about a six-month sales funnel, beginning with awareness and proceeding to research and familiarity, opinion and short list, consideration and, finally, purchase. When asked to explain Chrysler's surge this year, a spokesman offered a half-dozen factors, including improved customer perceptions due to well-received redesigns, third-party recommendations from authorities like Consumer Reports, attention-grabbing advertising, sharper brand delineations, and greater availability of lease financing.

    Here are some of the keys to Chrysler's current success -- and a key to more s opportunities that lie ahead.

公羊皮卡

    在CEO塞尔吉奥•马基奥尼的拍板下，克莱斯勒剥离了道奇（Dodge）的皮卡业务，单独成立了一个“公羊”（Ram）品牌，马基奥尼也因此受到了广泛的质疑。事实证明马基奥尼这一手玩得相当漂亮。在当前美国汽车销量排行榜前20名的位置上，通用和福特各占四席，这八款车型也占了它们总销量的大半部分。而克莱斯勒只有一款上榜，这根独苗就是公羊皮卡。皮卡的利润是很大的，而仅在今年10月份，这款皮卡就在美国卖出了21,037台，比去年同期上涨21.5%。

Ram truck

    CEO Sergio Marchionne was widely questioned for his decision to split off Dodge's truck business and create a separate brand in Ram, but it has paid off handsomely. While GM and Ford each have four models among the top 20 selling vehicles, accounting for a big chunk of their total volume, Chrysler has only one: the Ram pickup. Customers snapped up 21,037 of the profit-rich haulers in October, up 21.5% from a year ago.

吉普指南者

    克莱斯勒2007年推出了这款号称“平价吉普”的指南者，但当时并没有获得成功。由于它是在轿车平台上打造的，因此很多人批评它风格偏软，没有真正的吉普范儿。2011款指南者使用更加传统的吉普式格栅和全新内饰，而且通过了道路越野评级（trail-rated）认证，这款越野味儿十足的新指南者也在消费者中引起了强烈反响。汽车网站Edmunds.com的分析师杰里米•阿塞维多指出：“新指南者的仪表盘直接继承了大切诺基的设计元素，因此吸引了更多消费者的关注。”最初对大切诺基感兴趣的消费者也开始把目光投向了指南者，这两款SUV的造型一脉相承，但指南者的燃油经济性更好，而且起价也比大切低了将近10,000美元。2011新款指南者的销量已经增长了五倍。

Jeep Compass

    Chrysler's "chick Jeep" flopped when it was introduced in 2007. Based on a passenger car platform, it was judged too wimpy to be a true Jeep. But made more Jeep-like with a traditional grille, a new interior, and a brawny trail-rated model, the 2011 model has resonated with customers. "With the fascia of the new Compass taking its cues directly from the successful Grand Cherokee, it has garnered significantly more customer attention," says Edmunds.com analyst Jeremy Acevedot. "Jeep shoppers initially interested in the Grand Cherokee have begun looking at the Compass, which offers similar styling but with improved mileage and a starting price that's nearly $10,000 lower." Sales of the redesigned 2011 model have increased five-fold.

克莱斯勒200

    克莱斯勒200是之前的失败车型伯锐（Sebring）的改款之作，而且它的销量也大大超过了老款。这在很大程度上要归功于车身钣金、格栅和前后车灯的重新设计。不过还有一部分原因要归功于它的新名字提升了它的档次。Edmunds.com分析师阿塞维多称：“通过改名，克莱斯勒凭空提高了克莱斯勒200的档次，让消费者以为克莱斯勒200是旗舰车型克莱斯勒300的小弟。伯锐早就成了无所不在的‘街车’，还由于质量问题而饱受诟病。因此克莱斯勒200也通过改名划清了与老款伯锐的界限。”

Chrysler 200

    The Chrysler 200, a reworked version of the failed Sebring, is also outselling its predecessor--and by a wide margin. Much of the surge is due to another successful redesign with new body panels, grille, and lights front and rear. But a piece of the credit goes to the new name that connects it to its upscale car lot neighbor. "By changing the name, Chrysler was able to let its midsize offering ride the coattails of the Chrysler 300 and to encourage consumers to think of the 200 as the younger brother of the flagship 300," says Edmunds' Acevedot. "It also has the added benefit of distancing itself from its predecessor, a vehicle notorious for quality issues and fleet pervasiveness."

紧凑车阵线仍是一片空白

    克莱斯勒近来虽然销量激增，但在市场容量巨大的紧凑车市场上却没有自己的一席之地。它的上一款紧凑车型克莱斯勒彩虹（Neon）早在2005年就停产了。现在克莱斯勒的所有紧凑车型都是跨界SUV，比如指南者、吉普爱国者、道奇酷博。这就相当于把一块巨大的市场蛋糕拱手让给了丰田（Toyota）卡罗拉、本田（Honda）思域、福特福克斯和雪佛兰（Chevrolet）克鲁兹等竞争对手。明年道奇将推出一款基于菲亚特平台的紧凑车型，以填补公司在这一领域的空白，预计此举将给克莱斯勒带来宝贵的销售增量。

    自从上世纪90年代的道奇欧米尼（Dodge Omni）和普利茅斯地平线（Plymouth Horizon）之后，克莱斯勒就再也没有推出过微型车了，从而又把这块市场彻底让给了本田飞度、福特嘉年华、现代（Hyundai）雅绅特和日产（Nissan）骐达。不过克莱斯勒已经承诺未来将填补这片空白——这也是提升公司销量的另一个机会。微型车的利润虽然比较单薄，但是只要能带来新顾客，经销商们还是会欢欣鼓舞，而且由此带来的额外销量也会进一步巩固克莱斯勒的地位。

Compact White Space

    Chrysler has surged despite having no entries in the high-volume compact car segment. The automaker's last compact, the Neon, called it quits in 2005, and today, all of Chrysler's current compact entries are crossover SUVs: Compass, Jeep Patriot, and Dodge Caliber. That leaves a huge chunk of the market to competitors like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, and Chevrolet Cruze. Next year, the white space gets filled with a new Dodge based on a Fiat platform that will contribute valuable incremental sales.

    Chrysler hasn't produced a car for the subcompact segment since the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon drove off to that big garage in the sky in 1990. That's ceded another chunk of the market to the likes of the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa. Chrysler promises to fill the void in the future -- another opportunity for additional sales. Profits will be scarce, but dealers will be happy to win new customers, and the additional volume will boost Chrysler's standing.

微型车

    自从上世纪90年代的道奇欧米尼（Dodge Omni）和普利茅斯地平线（Plymouth Horizon）之后，克莱斯勒就再也没有推出过微型车了，从而又把这块市场彻底让给了本田飞度、福特嘉年华、现代（Hyundai）雅绅特和日产（Nissan）骐达。不过克莱斯勒已经承诺未来将填补这片空白——这也是提升公司销量的另一个机会。微型车的利润虽然比较单薄，但是只要能带来新顾客，经销商们还是会欢欣鼓舞，而且由此带来的额外销量也会进一步巩固克莱斯勒的地位。

Subcompact shortcomings

    Chrysler hasn't produced a car for the subcompact segment since the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon drove off to that big garage in the sky in 1990. That's ceded another chunk of the market to the likes of the Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent and Nissan Versa. Chrysler promises to fill the void in the future -- another opportunity for additional sales. Profits will be scarce, but dealers will be happy to win new customers, and the additional volume will boost Chrysler's standing.

菲亚特500

    马基奥尼希望通过菲亚特500将意大利汽车重新带回美国市场，但菲亚特500上市后的反响却并没有预想般强烈。首先是经销商的铺货速度慢于预期，另外由于美国汽油价格稳定，因此微型车对美国销售者的吸引力并不大。菲亚特500并没有给克莱斯勒的财务状况做出多大贡献。看来克莱斯勒的品牌总监奥利维尔•弗朗索斯有必要尝试一些新的营销理念了，因为好莱坞女星珍妮弗•洛佩兹代言的广告似乎并没起多大的效果。

Fiat 500

    Marchionne had hoped to relaunch Italian cars in the U.S. by bringing the appealing 500 to these shores, but the response has been less than robust. The dealer rollout has gone more slowly than expected, and stable gasoline prices don't give U.S consumers a compelling reason to buy minicars. Mostly bragging rights are at stake here -- the 500 doesn't contribute much to Chrysler's bottom line. Relighting sales will give marketing whiz Olivier Francois a chance to try out some new ideas because it looks like J.Lo ads during football games aren't going to move the metal for him.

阿尔法•罗密欧

    传说中的意大利名车阿尔法•罗密欧（Alfa Romeo）果然再次姗姗来迟。这个品牌在美国市场的回归再次推迟了六个月，被定在2013年年中，而车迷们则要等到2014年才能拿到期盼已久的爱车。（据说在过去的一年半里，马基奥尼已经毙掉了三个造型设计方案）。虽然这款车型有很多零部件是与克莱斯勒共享的，因此有可能会稀释阿尔法•罗密欧独特的个性，但马基奥尼还是自信地预测，公司到2014年能卖出85,000台阿尔法•罗密欧。

Alfa Romeo

    Alfa is running late -- as usual. The fabled Italian brand's return to the U.S. is now set for mid-2013 for another six-month delay, and enthusiasts will have to wait until 2014 to get their hands on a desirable Gulia sedan. (Marchionne is said to have killed three styling proposals in the past year and a half). Even though there will be a lot of parts-sharing with Chrysler -- and thus the danger of diluting Alfa's distinctive personality -- Marchionne is penciling in an additional 85,000 Alfa sales by 2014.

克莱斯勒城乡/道奇大捷龙

    尽管克莱斯勒试图根据不同的顾客群体对旗下的几款MPV进行定位——比如道奇大捷龙（Grand Caravan）的售价最高为30,000美元，而克莱斯勒城乡（Town & Country）的售价则在30,000美元以上——但这些MPV的销量却每况愈下。今年10月克莱斯勒城乡的销量下降了25%，道奇大捷龙的销量下降了13%。马基奥尼称，他计划关掉道奇大捷龙的生产线，以避免品牌重叠以及顾客认知的混淆。尽管少了这款MPV，但随着新微型车和紧凑车加入克莱斯勒的产品线，以及阿尔法•罗密欧的强势登陆，克莱斯勒的销量应该还会继续增长。

Town & Country/Grand Caravan

    Despite Chrysler's attempts to target the vans to different customer groups -- the Dodge van is (roughly) priced up to $30,000, the Chrysler at $30,000 plus -- sales have been sagging. The Town & Country was off 25% in October, while the Dodge Grand Caravan fell 13%. Marchionne said he will kill off the Dodge van to avoid brand overlaps and customer confusion. But with the promise of new subcompacts and compacts, and the arrival of Alfa Romeo, Chrysler's sales should continue to rise despite losing the nameplate.