2009年12月11日
スズキＶＷ提携 二つの「エコ」が生んだ再編劇
The Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 11, 2009)
Suzuki-VW tie-up ushers in new era
スズキＶＷ提携 二つの「エコ」が生んだ再編劇（12月11日付・読売社説）
The combined global sales of Suzuki Motor Corp. and Germany's Volkswagen AG eclipse that of Toyota Motor Corp.
両社をあわせた販売台数はトヨタ自動車を上回る。
The forging of the world's largest automobile alliance will significantly change the landscape of the auto industry's power map.
世界最大規模の自動車連合の誕生は、業界の勢力図を塗り替えることになりそうだ。
Suzuki, a maker of compact cars, and Germany's largest automaker agreed Wednesday to form capital and business tie-ups.
小型車メーカーのスズキとドイツ最大手のフォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）が、資本・業務提携で合意した。
Volkswagen will become Suzuki's largest shareholder by acquiring 19.9 percent of Suzuki's outstanding shares. Suzuki, in return, will purchase up to 2.5 percent of Volkswagen's shares.
ＶＷはスズキ株の１９・９％を取得して筆頭株主となり、スズキも最大で２・５％のＶＷ株を取得する。
The two companies will cooperate in such areas as the development of electric vehicles and fuel-efficient engines, as well as work in tandem on sales in newly emerging nations.
その上で、両社は電気自動車や低燃費エンジンの開発、新興国での販売などで広く協力する。
The Suzuki brand has a reputation for its minicars. However, its Swift and other compact car models also contribute to its annual global sales of 2.3 million units. Volkswagen, the world's third-largest automaker, also is strong in the compact car sector, thanks to its Golf and Polo models. The two companies had been competitors for many years.
スズキは軽自動車のイメージが強いが、「スイフト」などの小型車を合わせると、全世界の販売台数は年間２３０万台にのぼる。世界３位のＶＷも主力は「ゴルフ」「ポロ」などの小型車で、両社は長年、ライバル関係にあった。
Not any more. The automakers have teamed up because each has strength in different areas of the compact car sector.
その両社が一転して手を結んだのは、同じ小型車といっても、得意分野が異なっているためだ。
===
Give-and-take
Suzuki has excelled at producing low-priced automobiles targeted at newly emerging markets as it made the best use of low-cost production technologies it developed in its production of minicars. Volkswagen, on the other hand, has established a reputation for its environmentally friendly technologies used in low-emission engines.
スズキは軽自動車で培った低コスト生産技術を駆使し、新興国向けの低価格車を得意とするのに対し、ＶＷは低公害エンジンなどの環境技術に定評がある。
The tie-up is aimed at allowing the automakers to complement each other through the fusion of two "eco" elements--Suzuki's "economy"-conscious technologies and Volkswagen's "ecology"-conscious technologies.
提携には、スズキの「エコノミー」技術とＶＷの「エコロジー」技術を持ち寄り、二つの「エコ」の融合で、互いの弱点を補完しあう狙いがある。
Suzuki stands atop the rankings for sales in India, while Volkswagen rules the roost for sales in China. The two companies will be able to take advantage of each other's sales networks in these key markets.
スズキはインド、ＶＷは中国で販売トップの座にあり、互いの販売網も利用できる。
Suzuki had been eager to find a new partner after it ended its nearly 30-year ties with General Motors Co. of the United States.
特に、スズキは３０年近く続けてきた米ゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）との提携を解消し、新たな提携先を必要としていた。
Suzuki's signing of a new alliance with Volkswagen can be largely attributed to the Japanese automaker's entry into newly emerging markets before many rivals, which enabled it to build solid footholds there.
新興国市場にいち早く進出して足場を築いてきたことが、提携実現の大きな武器となった。
===
Industry at turning point
The auto industry is at a historic turning point. Automakers must consider shying away from vehicles that run on gasoline as they suffer from sluggish sales in the wake of last year's Lehman shock--the financial meltdown triggered by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
自動車業界は昨年のリーマン・ショック以降の販売不振に苦しむ中で、脱ガソリンという歴史的な転機を迎えている。
The development of green technologies and expanding sales routes in emerging economies likely will be critical to automakers' survival.
But achieving these goals will not come cheaply. It would be very difficult for one company to shoulder these huge costs alone.
生き残りのカギを握る環境技術開発と新興国への販路拡大には巨額の資金がかかり、単独での負担は難しい。
The Big Three U.S. automakers, which had been the leading players in the industry, no longer have the wherewithal to make such investments. Japanese and European companies therefore will need to review their strategies on courting potential allies.
だが、これまで業界をリードしてきた米ビッグスリーは投資余力を失い、日欧メーカーは提携戦略の見直しを迫られている。
Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which had an alliance with Chrysler Group LLC of the United States, is now in talks with French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen. Peugeot reportedly is keen to tap MMC's pioneering work in the commercial production of electric vehicles and strength in the Russian market.
長年にわたり米クライスラーと組んできた三菱自動車も、仏プジョー・シトロエングループ（ＰＳＡ）と資本提携の交渉中だ。ＰＳＡは三菱が電気自動車を他社に先駆けて市販し、ロシア市場に強いことに注目しているという。
"Economy" and "ecology" look set to be critical elements in any auto industry tie-ups in the years ahead. A new era has dawned on the realignment of the auto industry.
自動車業界では今後も「二つのエコ」を軸にした提携が続くことが予想される。自動車再編は、新たな局面を迎えたといえよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 11, 2009)
（2009年12月11日01時01分 読売新聞）
Suzuki-VW tie-up ushers in new era
スズキＶＷ提携 二つの「エコ」が生んだ再編劇（12月11日付・読売社説）
The combined global sales of Suzuki Motor Corp. and Germany's Volkswagen AG eclipse that of Toyota Motor Corp.
両社をあわせた販売台数はトヨタ自動車を上回る。
The forging of the world's largest automobile alliance will significantly change the landscape of the auto industry's power map.
世界最大規模の自動車連合の誕生は、業界の勢力図を塗り替えることになりそうだ。
Suzuki, a maker of compact cars, and Germany's largest automaker agreed Wednesday to form capital and business tie-ups.
小型車メーカーのスズキとドイツ最大手のフォルクスワーゲン（ＶＷ）が、資本・業務提携で合意した。
Volkswagen will become Suzuki's largest shareholder by acquiring 19.9 percent of Suzuki's outstanding shares. Suzuki, in return, will purchase up to 2.5 percent of Volkswagen's shares.
ＶＷはスズキ株の１９・９％を取得して筆頭株主となり、スズキも最大で２・５％のＶＷ株を取得する。
The two companies will cooperate in such areas as the development of electric vehicles and fuel-efficient engines, as well as work in tandem on sales in newly emerging nations.
その上で、両社は電気自動車や低燃費エンジンの開発、新興国での販売などで広く協力する。
The Suzuki brand has a reputation for its minicars. However, its Swift and other compact car models also contribute to its annual global sales of 2.3 million units. Volkswagen, the world's third-largest automaker, also is strong in the compact car sector, thanks to its Golf and Polo models. The two companies had been competitors for many years.
スズキは軽自動車のイメージが強いが、「スイフト」などの小型車を合わせると、全世界の販売台数は年間２３０万台にのぼる。世界３位のＶＷも主力は「ゴルフ」「ポロ」などの小型車で、両社は長年、ライバル関係にあった。
Not any more. The automakers have teamed up because each has strength in different areas of the compact car sector.
その両社が一転して手を結んだのは、同じ小型車といっても、得意分野が異なっているためだ。
===
Give-and-take
Suzuki has excelled at producing low-priced automobiles targeted at newly emerging markets as it made the best use of low-cost production technologies it developed in its production of minicars. Volkswagen, on the other hand, has established a reputation for its environmentally friendly technologies used in low-emission engines.
スズキは軽自動車で培った低コスト生産技術を駆使し、新興国向けの低価格車を得意とするのに対し、ＶＷは低公害エンジンなどの環境技術に定評がある。
The tie-up is aimed at allowing the automakers to complement each other through the fusion of two "eco" elements--Suzuki's "economy"-conscious technologies and Volkswagen's "ecology"-conscious technologies.
提携には、スズキの「エコノミー」技術とＶＷの「エコロジー」技術を持ち寄り、二つの「エコ」の融合で、互いの弱点を補完しあう狙いがある。
Suzuki stands atop the rankings for sales in India, while Volkswagen rules the roost for sales in China. The two companies will be able to take advantage of each other's sales networks in these key markets.
スズキはインド、ＶＷは中国で販売トップの座にあり、互いの販売網も利用できる。
Suzuki had been eager to find a new partner after it ended its nearly 30-year ties with General Motors Co. of the United States.
特に、スズキは３０年近く続けてきた米ゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）との提携を解消し、新たな提携先を必要としていた。
Suzuki's signing of a new alliance with Volkswagen can be largely attributed to the Japanese automaker's entry into newly emerging markets before many rivals, which enabled it to build solid footholds there.
新興国市場にいち早く進出して足場を築いてきたことが、提携実現の大きな武器となった。
===
Industry at turning point
The auto industry is at a historic turning point. Automakers must consider shying away from vehicles that run on gasoline as they suffer from sluggish sales in the wake of last year's Lehman shock--the financial meltdown triggered by the collapse of U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
自動車業界は昨年のリーマン・ショック以降の販売不振に苦しむ中で、脱ガソリンという歴史的な転機を迎えている。
The development of green technologies and expanding sales routes in emerging economies likely will be critical to automakers' survival.
But achieving these goals will not come cheaply. It would be very difficult for one company to shoulder these huge costs alone.
生き残りのカギを握る環境技術開発と新興国への販路拡大には巨額の資金がかかり、単独での負担は難しい。
The Big Three U.S. automakers, which had been the leading players in the industry, no longer have the wherewithal to make such investments. Japanese and European companies therefore will need to review their strategies on courting potential allies.
だが、これまで業界をリードしてきた米ビッグスリーは投資余力を失い、日欧メーカーは提携戦略の見直しを迫られている。
Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which had an alliance with Chrysler Group LLC of the United States, is now in talks with French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen. Peugeot reportedly is keen to tap MMC's pioneering work in the commercial production of electric vehicles and strength in the Russian market.
長年にわたり米クライスラーと組んできた三菱自動車も、仏プジョー・シトロエングループ（ＰＳＡ）と資本提携の交渉中だ。ＰＳＡは三菱が電気自動車を他社に先駆けて市販し、ロシア市場に強いことに注目しているという。
"Economy" and "ecology" look set to be critical elements in any auto industry tie-ups in the years ahead. A new era has dawned on the realignment of the auto industry.
自動車業界では今後も「二つのエコ」を軸にした提携が続くことが予想される。自動車再編は、新たな局面を迎えたといえよう。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 11, 2009)
（2009年12月11日01時01分 読売新聞）
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