孟买/东京，10月5日：据两位知情人士透露，本田汽车（Honda Motor）与塔塔技术公司（Tata Technologies）在印度的新合作伙伴关系旨在将成本削减多达五分之一，并将开发时间缩短一半。面对竞争对手的压力，这家日本汽车制造商正被迫重新审视其独立运作的策略。
MUMBAI/TOKYO, Oct 5 : Honda Motor aims to cut costs by as much as a fifth and halve development times under its new partnership in India with Tata Technologies, according to two people familiar with the matter, as pressure from rivals forces the Japanese automaker to rethink its go-it-alone approach.
本田正遭受与电动汽车（EV）相关的巨额亏损，预计亏损额将超过120亿美元，因此正转向汽油-电动混合动力车型并大幅削减开支。上个月，路透社报道称，本田计划在未来四年内削减超过90亿美元的成本，并已要求供应商大幅降价。
Reeling from electric vehicle (EV)-related losses that it expects to reach more than $12 billion, Honda is pivoting to gasoline-electric hybrids and slashing expenses. Last month, Reuters reported that it is seeking to cut more than $9 billion in costs over the next four years and has told suppliers to drastically reduce prices.
今年5月，工程公司塔塔技术表示，其被选为一家日本汽车制造商开发车辆。该公司拒绝透露合作伙伴名称，但上述两位人士及另一位知情人士称，该合作伙伴为本田。
In May, engineering firm Tata Technologies said it was selected to develop vehicles for a Japanese automaker. It declined to name the partner, but the two people and another person familiar with the matter said it was Honda.
两位人士称，根据外包协议，塔塔技术将为印度市场开发汽车，而本田预计可实现高达20%的成本削减，并将目前约为五年的开发时间缩短一半。
Under the outsourcing agreement, Tata Technologies will develop cars for the Indian market, while Honda expects to see up to 20 per cent in cost reductions and halve its development times from around five years at present, two people said.
其中两位人士称，本田决定引入塔塔技术，是因为该汽车制造商的日本和印度管理层未能就印度即将推出的车型应使用哪些供应商达成一致。
Honda decided to bring in Tata Technologies after the automaker's Japanese and Indian managers failed to agree on which suppliers to use for upcoming vehicles in India, two of the people said.
由于相关信息尚未公开，三位消息人均拒绝透露身份。关于印度的成本削减和开发目标，以及供应商战略上的内部僵局，系首次被报道。
All three sources declined to be identified because the information has not been made public. The cost-cutting and development targets in India, as well as the internal deadlock over supplier strategy, are being reported for the first time.
本田在一份声明中表示，其在印度未能提供足够丰富的产品线，使客户获得“物有所值”的体验。为此，本田正在“重新定义”其在印度的产品组合，并计划推出在质量与价格之间取得平衡的车型。本田否认日本团队与印度团队在供应商选择上存在分歧。
In a statement, Honda said it has not been able to offer a sufficient product line-up in India that allows customers "value for money." To that end, it was "redefining" its offerings in India and planned to introduce vehicles that strike a balance between quality and price, it said. It denied there were disagreements between the Japanese and Indian teams over supplier selection.
本田印度公司在一份单独的声明中表示，产品开发涉及不同团队之间的密切合作，并补充说，将合作讨论描述为分歧是不准确的。塔塔科技公司未回应置评请求。
In a separate statement, Honda India said product development involved close collaboration between different teams, adding that it was inaccurate to characterise collaborative discussions as disagreements. Tata Technologies did not respond to a request for comment.
战略僵局：据两位消息人士称，日本管理层希望保留现有供应商以确保质量和一致性，而本田在印度的团队则主张更多地使用本地供应商，以降低成本并加快这个全球第三大汽车市场的产品开发速度。
STRATEGY DEADLOCK Japanese managers wanted to retain established suppliers to ensure quality and consistency, while Honda's team in India pushed for greater use of local suppliers to lower costs and speed up development in the world's third-largest car market, two of the people said.
路透社无法确定这一僵局持续了多久，但两位消息人士称，分歧足以导致部分产品的开发工作延迟。其中一位消息人士补充说，该合作在最终确定前已讨论了约两年时间。
Reuters could not determine how long the deadlock lasted but the disagreement was enough to delay work on some products, the two people said. The partnership had been under discussion for about two years before being finalised, one of them added.
这位消息人士称，塔塔科技公司是从印度汽车制造商塔塔汽车分拆出来的，之所以被选中，是因为它拥有广泛的本地供应商网络，而且本田管理层相信它能够根据消费者的品味和消费偏好来设计车辆。
Tata Technologies, which was spun off from Indian automaker Tata Motors, was chosen because of its access to a broad network of local suppliers and because Honda managers believed it could design vehicles in line with consumer tastes and spending preferences, the person said.
该消息人士补充说，本田将负责监督整个过程，以确保符合质量标准，并将继续掌控技术、互联性和驾驶辅助系统等领域。
Honda will oversee the process to ensure quality standards are met and will retain control over areas like technology, connectivity and driver-assistance systems, the person added.
著名的独立性：本田长期以来都带有其著名独立创始人本田宗一郎的印记。该公司研发了全球最畅销的两款汽车——思域和雅阁，以及史上最受欢迎的摩托车——超级幼兽。
FAMOUS INDEPENDENCE Honda has long carried the imprint of its famously independent late founder, Soichiro Honda. It developed two of the world's best-selling cars, the Civic and the Accord, along with the most popular motorcycle of all time, the Super Cub.
与其他日本汽车制造商一样，本田面临着艰难的平衡：一方面要维护其在美国等传统市场的业务，另一方面则要开发新技术以在其他地区与中国企业竞争。印度作为一个快速增长且尚未向中国电动汽车制造商开放的市场，正变得日益重要。
Like other Japanese automakers, Honda faces the difficult balancing act of defending its legacy business in places like the US while developing new technologies to compete with Chinese firms elsewhere. India, a fast-growing market that remains closed to Chinese EV makers, has become more important.
但本田在当地的市场份额已从十多年前7.3%的峰值跌至1.3%。其产品阵容萎缩至四款车型，并在与塔塔汽车、马恒达等价格实惠、配置丰富的竞争对手竞争中败下阵来。在规模最大、增长最快的SUV市场，本田也几乎拿不出有竞争力的产品。
But Honda's market share there has slumped to 1.3 per cent from a peak of 7.3 per cent more than a decade ago. Its portfolio has shrunk to four models and it is losing to affordable, feature-packed rivals like Tata Motors and Mahindra. It also has little to offer in the biggest and fastest-growing SUV segment.
“本田已经行动太晚，也落后于竞争对手。”其中一名知情人士说。
"Honda is already late and behind competitors," one of the people said.
本田社长三部宣博正面临压力，必须扭转这家制造商的经营状况。本田上个财年录得史上首次年度亏损。
Honda President Toshihiro Mibe is under pressure to turn around the automaker, which recorded its first-ever annual loss in the last financial year.
今年5月，三部宣博表示，虽然印度是本田的“重点市场”，但该制造商在当地的发展并非一帆风顺。“我们需要以完全不同的基础重建业务，”他说。
In May, Mibe said that while India was a "key focus" for Honda, the automaker had not always been successful there. "We need to rebuild the business on an entirely different footing," he said.
此前，本会将原本为日本或其他全球市场设计的汽车进行 adaptations，以适应印度市场。这导致其投放印度的车型被认为设计过度且价格偏高。
Previously, Honda adapted for India cars that were originally designed for Japan or other global markets. That resulted in it offering vehicles that were seen as over-engineered and pricey.
与塔塔科技合作开发的首款车型是一款车长不足4米（13.1英尺）的小型SUV。该细分市场占印度汽车市场很大一部分，而本田在其中布局有限。据其中两名知情人士透露，这款车计划于2028年推出。
The first vehicle under development with Tata Technologies is a small SUV that is less than 4 metres (13.1 feet) in length, a segment that accounts for a large portion of India's car market and where Honda has limited presence. It is targeted for launch in 2028, two of the people said.
第二款中型SUV预计也将随后推出，之后本田还试图重振其在轿车市场的优势，其中一人补充道。
A second, mid-size SUV is expected to follow, with Honda later trying to revive its strength in sedans, one of them added.
本田在声明中表示，计划从2028年起在印度推出车长不足4米的车型和尺寸更大的中型车型。
In its statement, Honda said it planned to launch vehicles in India in the sub-4-metre category and the larger midsize category from 2028 onwards.
印度是本田唯一的大型新兴市场，本田希望提升当地制造和采购的竞争力。
India is Honda's only major emerging market and it wants to make manufacturing and sourcing there more competitive.
其中一名知情人士表示，如果双方合作开发的首款产品在质量、销量和盈利能力方面取得成功，将为本田从印度出口汽车打开机会。
If the first product under the deal is successful in terms of quality, sales and profitability, it will open opportunities for Honda to export from India, one of the people said.