When Masamichi Kogai, the Mazda chief executive, appeared last year together with Akio Toyoda, his Toyota counterpart, the technology tie-up they announced seemed to offer the answer to how Japan’s fifth-largest carmaker would survive in the new era of electrification and self-driving vehicles.去年，当马自达(Mazda)首席执行官小饲雅道(Masamichi Kogai)与丰田(Toyota)首席执行官丰田章男(Akio Toyoda)一起亮相时，他们宣告的技术结盟或许为日本第五大汽车制造商如何在电气化和无人驾驶汽车的新时代存活下来获取了答案。Mazda sells 1.5m vehicles a year but is overshadowed both in size and innovation by Toyota, which in 2015 was the world’s largest carmaker, selling more than 10m units, and is a pioneer of both hybrid and fuel-cell technology.马自达每年的汽车销量为150万辆，但在规模和创意方面都不及丰田；丰田是2015年全球仅次于汽车制造商，销量多达1000万辆，而且是混合动力汽车和燃料电池技术的先驱。Though the alliance is not backed by capital ties, industry watchers see it as a gateway for the sports car maker to join the sprawling Toyota family, which includes Daihatsu, Hino and Subaru-maker Fuji Heavy. 尽管双方的合作没获得资本合作的反对，但行业仔细观察人士指出，此举是这家跑车制造商重新加入可观的丰田家族的门户，丰田家族还包括大发(Daihatsu)、日野(Hino)和斯巴鲁(Subaru)制造商富士重工(Fuji Heavy)。This month, Suzuki said it may also explore a similar technology partnership with Toyota.上月铃木(Suzuki)回应，有可能也不会探寻与丰田积极开展类似于的技术合作。

It’s give and take. 这是一种权衡。We won’t be swallowed up, says the 62-year-old Mr Kogai, speaking at the company’s headquarters in Hiroshima. 我们会被吞掉。

62岁的小饲雅道在马自达广岛总部回应。The building survived the US atomic bomb of 1945 because it was shielded by a mountain. 这座大楼逃过了1945年美国原子弹空袭的冲击波，因为它正好被山体推开着。The surrounding area was destroyed.当年周边地区都被毁坏。If we can make good cars through an all-Japan co-operation, why not join hands? he says.他回应：如果我们能通过这种日本国内的合作，生产出有高质量的汽车，为什么不合力呢？In fact, Mr Toyoda himself has conceded Toyota has much to learn from its nimbler rival in terms of slick vehicle design and fuel-saving engines. 实质上，丰田章男自己否认，在简洁汽车设计以及节约能源发动机方面，丰田有很多要向这位更加灵活性的竞争对手自学。

The Mazda MX-5, a two-seater roadster, was voted both world car of the year and world car design of the year this year — a rare double accolade.马自达MX-5两座敞篷跑车今年被票选为年度全球最佳车型以及年度全球最佳汽车设计，这种双料冠军非常少见。But Mazda, with its dogged focus on petrol and diesel engines, is an outlier at a time when carmakers are racing to build a better hybrid or electric vehicle to comply with environmental regulations. 但在汽车制造商为遵从环保法规而竞相打造出更佳的混合动力汽车或电动汽车之际，马自达对汽油和柴油发动机的不懈注目变得特立独行。

We are not Toyota, Nissan or Volkswagen who need to cover everything, Mr Kogai explains.小饲雅道说明道：我们不是丰田、日产(Nissan)或大众(Volkswagen)，它们必须面面俱到。Mazda has learnt hard lessons about overextending itself. 马自达在过度扩展方面有过伤痛的教训。In its 96-year history, the company has faced financial trouble three times, each after an expansion drive. 在马自达96年的公司历史上，该公司曾3次面对财务困境，每一次都是在扩展希望之后。It bounced back from its first crisis in 1979 — when sales of its rotary engine powered vehicles collapsed in the wake of the oil shock. 该公司的首次危机再次发生在1979年，当时其并转缸式发动机汽车在石油危机过后遭到重创。

It did so with help from Ford, which went on to acquire a third of the Japanese company in 1996 when Mazda was once again in difficulties.马自达在福特(Ford)的协助下恢复元气，后来，在1996年马自达再度陷入困境时，福特售予该公司三分之一股权。Mr Kogai, a former engineer who has spent four decades at the carmaker, can still recall a letter from a US consumer in the late 1990s lashing out at Mazda for losing focus. 工程师名门、在马自达工作了40年的小饲雅道仍忘记上世纪90年代末一位美国消费者的写信，抨击马自达丧失重点。That missive, sent to executives, was a wake-up call.那封寄给公司高管的信给马自达响起了警钟。We realised that the more we increased vehicle models, car sales dropped and our brand weakened, Mr Kogai says.小饲雅道回应：我们意识到，我们就越减少汽车车型，汽车销量就越上升，我们的品牌也随之巩固。

In response, the company, guided by Ford, decided to reboot by specialising in sports cars with a fun-to-drive, Zoom-Zoom slogan (replaced last year with the less jazzy Driving Matters). 作为对此，该公司在福特的提示下要求排查产品系列，专业生产运动型汽车，投出倡导驾驶员体验的Zoom-Zoom口号（去年被不那么花哨的Driving Matters代替）。In later years, Mazda outsourced production of compact cars to Suzuki and more recently, pick-up trucks to Isuzu, allowing it to focus on its core business.后来几年，马自达将紧凑型轿车的生产外包给铃木，最近，该公司将皮卡汽车的生产外包给五十铃(Isuzu)，使自己以求专心于核心业务。The chief executive took up his role in 2013, just as Mazda had returned to profit after racking up net losses of almost ￥250bn ($2.3bn) in the four years following the global financial crisis. 小饲雅道于2013年离任，当时马自达刚完全恢复盈利，此前4年该公司在金融危机愈演愈烈后遭遇近2500亿日元（合23亿美元）的净亏损。During its third crisis, Ford itself was battling for its survival and the 36-year alliance with the US carmaker came to an end last year with the sale of its remaining 2 per cent stake.在马自达第三次危机期间，福特自己于是以为存活而绝望，去年马自达与这家美国汽车制造商36年的联盟划出上句号，福特出售了剩下的2%马自达股权。

The steady confidence Mr Kogai possesses today follows an extensive overhaul in which he was heavily involved. 在小饲雅道现在充满信心之前，马自达展开了一场普遍排查，他了解参予其中。This started in 2006, when the Japanese carmaker took a gamble on perfecting its engine and transmission technology. 这场排查始自2006年，当时马自达押注于完备发动机和变速器技术。Rivals marched in the opposite direction, developing cars powered by hydrogen and electricity.其竞争对手则向另一个方向希望，研发以氢和电力为动力的汽车。

We built the optimum engine that could be fitted into all types of vehicles, Mr Kogai said. In the past...it was good for one model but not for the other. 我们打造出了线性规划的发动机，限于于所有类型的汽车，小饲雅道回应，过去……发动机限于于一种车型，但呼吸困难用作其他车型。The new lightweight engine is part of a collection of fuel-efficient technologies that Mazda calls SkyActiv. 新的轻型发动机是节约能源技术子集的一部分，马自达把这些技术总称为SkyActiv。With these technologies, Mazda has improved average fuel economy for its cars by about 26 per cent from 2008 levels, and met emissions regulations without turning to electric vehicles or hybrids.利用这些技术，马自达汽车的平均值燃油效率较2008年提升了26%左右，在没改向电动汽车或混合动力汽车的情况下符合了废气规定。

The look of Mazda cars also changed: all designs are now based on traditional Japanese art and aesthetics.马自达汽车的外观也再次发生了变化：所有的设计现在都基于日本传统艺术和美学。Mr Kogai, known among employees for his down-to-earth manner, is credited with steering Mazda away from overambitious sales targets, but its turnround could once again be jeopardised by the yen’s stubborn rise.小饲雅道的稳健作风在员工中是出了名的，他被誉为领导马自达退出野心过大的销售目标，但日元汇率持续下跌有可能再度严重威胁该公司的衰退。Mazda’s decision to partner with Toyota will be watched closely by other smaller carmakers. 马自达与丰田合力的要求，将受到其他较小汽车制造商的紧密注目。

With advances in self-driving technology, the automotive industry is wrestling to block incursions by Google, Apple and other technology rivals. 随着无人驾驶技术的变革，汽车行业于是以希望制止谷歌(Google)、苹果(Apple)和其他科技竞争对手的侵略。A company the size of Mazda, with a market value of $9.5bn and annual revenue of $33bn, cannot compete alone in artificial intelligence and other new technologies.一家像马自达这种规模的公司（市值95亿美元、年收入330亿美元）不有可能单枪匹马地在人工智能和其他新技术领域竞争。Driverless vehicles will threaten the core of what Mazda believes makes its cars attractive. 无人驾驶汽车将威胁马自达对于汽车吸引力的核心理念。Our cars are human-centric so people will be driving them, Mr Kogai says. 我们的汽车是以人为中心，因此人们要驾驶员它们，小饲雅道回应，Driving can lift spirits, relieve stress and stimulate the brain... That’s the kind of cars that make sense for Mazda to make and that’s our role, he adds with a laugh. 驾驶员可以鼓舞心情、分流压力并性刺激大脑……这让马自达生产汽车显得有意义，那是我们的角色。

It’s not that we’re a company that hates autonomous driving.他笑着补足称之为，我们并不憎恶无人驾驶。Toyota already supplies Mazda with hybrid drivetrain technology, but Mr Kogai dismisses speculation it will turn to its partner to develop a hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicle. 丰田已向马自达供应混合动力传动技术，但小饲雅道坚称如下传言，即马自达将无可奈何其合作伙伴，研发氢动力燃料电池汽车。It’s really not that easy to get access to, he says.他回应：转入这一领域知道不那么更容易。

Both companies have been cagey on what the tie-up entails, with Mr Kogai only revealing a very long-term alliance, saying that a joint product is unlikely to be rolled out in the next two years.两家公司都对联盟细节三缄其口，小饲雅道只是透漏，这是一种十分长年的联盟，他回应，未来两年不太可能发售合作研发的产品。Even in the new era, Mr Kogai is convinced Mazda’s engineers will prove its cars are still relevant: This isn’t the end, he says.即便在当今新时代，小饲雅道也坚信，马自达的工程技术人员将证明马自达汽车依然举足轻重：这不是起点，他回应。

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