LOL...Toyota CEO apologizes and then leaves in an Audi

[Blue_Tires]

In his first public comment about the massive safety crisis surrounding his company, the President and CEO of Toyota apologized to his customers for causing them so much worry.

Akio Toyoda apologizes to customers for random acceleration problem."I am deeply sorry," said Akio Toyoda in a brief interview with the Japanese network NHK as he left his hotel in Davos, Switzerland. After the interview he was seen leaving in a black Audi.

Toyoda had been attending the economic conference with other corporate and government leaders this week, while his deputies struggled to quell a consumer rebellion triggered by the recall of nine million cars worldwide.

In the interview, Toyoda said he could not answer questions because the company "was still investigating." He said he hoped to provide an explanation to Toyota customers soon.

"Truly we think of our customers as a priority and we guarantee their safety," he said, according to a translation.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/toyota-ceo-apologizes-deeply/story?id=9700622

[KamaAina]

1. Was it an Audi 5000 S?

you remember, the ones that some garages wouldn't accept because of some problem with the parking brake? :shrug:

[rcrush]

2. Wait. Why isnt the company called Toyoda then?

WTF

[old mark]

3. I think is used to be, but the name was modified by advertizing or PR people.

Toy - o - TA, not
Toy - o - DUH....

Probably paid someone a million dollars for that idea.

mark

[jmowreader]

4. It seems to go back to how it's spelled in Japanese letters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota

Says here it takes only eight brush strokes to write Toyota and 10 to write Toyoda, and they didn't want people to think about agriculture when they saw the cars--toyoda means "fertile rice fields" in Japanese.

I had a forklift for a while with a "Toyoda Automatic Loom Works"--the original name for the company--manufacturing sticker.