三菱汽車承認1991年就存在測試不當行爲
Mitsubishi Motors has admitted that fuel economy tests on its vehicleswere flawed from the early 1990s, widening the scandal that has alreadytarnished its reputation and sales at home.
三菱汽車(MitsubishiMotors)承認，對其汽車進行的燃油經濟性測試從上世紀90年代初起就存在問題，使這起已經損害其信譽和國內銷售的醜聞進一步擴大。
The latest findings of improper tests by Japan’s sixth-largestcarmaker come after revelations across the global car industry that have shakenconsumer confidence in fuel consumption and emissions figures advertised byautomakers.
日本第六大汽車製造商在測試中行爲不當的最新消息曝光之前，全球汽車行業出現多次爆料，動搖了消費者對汽車製造商所宣傳的油耗和尾氣排放數據的信心。
Mitsubishi said last week it had overstated fuel efficiency by up to 10per cent on four types of small cars sold in Japan, covering more than 600,000vehicles. The company is planning to establish whether any cars sold overseaswere affected. The carmaker said its internal probe had found that itsfuel-economy testing methods did not comply with Japanese standards for modelsdating back to 2002.
三菱汽車上週表示，其將四款在日本銷售的小排量車的燃油效率誇大了高達10%，受影響車輛超過60萬輛。該公司正計劃查實其在海外銷售的車輛是否受到影響。這家汽車生產商表示，其內部調查發現，其燃油經濟性測試方法並未遵守日本標準，受影響的車型可以追溯到2002年。
But in a report to the Japanese transport ministry yesterday, Mitsubishirevealed its fuel economy tests had deviated from local standards since 1991,when the country adopted a different testing method.
但在日本國土交通省昨日發佈的報告中，三菱汽車透露其燃油經濟性測試自1991年就違反了國內標準，那年日本開始實行一種不同的測試方法。
The tests Mitsubishi had used were the same as those used in the US,according to the company. It was unclear which of the two methods gave betterfuel economy figures, with road conditions and driving habits different in thetwo countries.
三菱汽車表示，該公司之前使用的測試方法和美國所用的方法一樣。考慮到兩國不同的路況和駕駛習慣，兩種方法中哪一種能得出更好的燃油經濟性數據還不清楚。
“It’s unclear whether employees were aware that the method was improper,”saidTetsuro Aikawa, president of Mitsubishi Motors.
“還不清楚員工是否意識到這種方法不當，”三菱汽車社長相川哲郎(Tetsuro Aikawa)表示。
Mitsubishi said it believed testing methods were correct in othercountries, but added it would provide evidence to relevant authorities outsideof Japan. US authorities have requested information from Mitsubishi about itsengines, but Ryugo Nakao, executive vice-president, said the company had notfound any evidence that the false fuel economy data were carried out outside ofJapan.
三菱汽車表示，該公司相信其在其他國家使用的測試方法是正確的，但補充說將向日本以外的有關部門提供證據。美國當局已經要求三菱汽車提供有關其發動機的信息，但三菱汽車執行副社長中尾龍吾(Ryugo Nakao)表示，該公司還未發現任何證據表明其在日本以外存在不實燃油經濟性數據。
The company has not yet identified why the improper behaviour occurredor who was responsible. An independent panel of three lawyers is expected tocomplete its probe into the affair in about three months.
該公司還未查明爲何會出現這一不當行爲，以及誰應該對此負責。由3名律師組成的獨立小組預計將在大約3個月後完成對該事件的調查。
The company has yet to decide what compensation it will pay and whetherit will need to seek financial support from within the Mitsubishi group tocover the costs. In 2004, it received a Mitsubishi group bailout following asafety scandal where the company admitted to hiding vehicle defects fordecades.
三菱汽車尚未決定將進行多少賠償，以及是否需要從三菱集團內部尋求財務支持以支付這項成本。2004年，三菱汽車承認隱瞞汽車缺陷達數十年，在爆出那起汽車安全性醜聞後，三菱汽車獲得了三菱集團的一筆紓困資金。
