CNN 2010-03-02

Toyota's prince kind of got his crown knocked to the ground, but it could have been a lot worse. Toyota's president, Akio Toyoda, in front of a congressional hearing. He said he was sorry, a few times. But will apologies and promises to do better actually save Toyota's bottom line?

CNN senior correspondent Allan Chernoff has more.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the chief executive of Toyota which had been revered¹ for quality confesses to losing sight of safety, it's of concern to all drivers.

Akio Toyoda says his company was thinking too much about expansion, not enough about making safe cars.

AKIO TOYODA, PRESIDENT, TOYOTA: These priorities became confused. I intend to further improve on the quality of Toyota vehicles.

CHERNOFF: But promises may not be enough for Toyota owners who are shaken by reports of runaway² cars, especially when the company's U.S. sales chief says recalls may not solve the problem.

REP. HENRY WAXMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: Do you believe that the recall on the carpet changes and the recall on the sticky pedal will solve the problem of sudden unintended acceleration³?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not totally.

CHERNOFF: Matta Freund drives one of Toyota's luxury vehicles, a Lexus.

MATTA FREUND, LEXUS OWNER: Our lease is going to be coming due. What other car could we get? Will I trust Toyota?

CHERNOFF (on camera): Do you?

FREUND: No. I don't trust them.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): Tony (INAUDIBLE) drives a Toyota taxi.

(On camera): Would you buy a Toyota for yourself right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To be honest, I wouldn't buy a Toyota now.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): It's an unprecedented⁴ crisis for the Japanese automakers say industry experts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The company is not only damaged but the brand is being damaged also.

CHERNOFF: Toyota dealers⁶ say the vast majority of customers are remaining loyal to their brand.

BILL RINKER, TOYOTA SANTA MONICA: 95 percent, I would say, if I was to pull a number out, have been, you know, very positive. They've owned Toyotas before. They're not worried.

CHERNOFF: But Toyota dealers are worried. They're offering rebates⁷ and low financing, hoping to hold on to customers. Last month Toyota's U.S. sales slumped⁸ 16 percent even as the overall auto⁵ market rebounded⁹. And now competing auto dealers are going all out to grab more Toyota customers.
 

1 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

2 runaway   

n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的

参考例句：

• The police have not found the runaway to date.警察迄今没抓到逃犯。
• He was praised for bringing up the runaway horse.他勒住了脱缰之马受到了表扬。

3 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

4 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

5 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

6 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

7 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

8 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

9 rebounded   

弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效

参考例句：

• The ball rebounded from the goalpost and Owen headed it in. 球从门柱弹回，欧文头球将球攻进。
• The ball rebounded from his racket into the net. 球从他的球拍上弹回网中。