It was definitely the happiest month for the folks at Ford.

After the F150 was launched, it immediately exploded with great power.

Even if the "Firestone Tire Gate" has not completely passed, the sales of the F150 have immediately surpassed the performance of the previous generation when it was launched.

However, the people at Ford were happy, but the people at Toyota were not.

It is said that it is two heavens of ice and fire, and there is no problem at all.

It can be said that this is definitely the most painful month for Tetsuaki Kobayashi.

This is also the longest business trip for Fujifu Zhang.

Obviously, various departments of Toyota Motor have made various efforts, but the situation is not only not improving, but getting worse and worse.

Toyota's "brake door" has been hot news for a long time.

Whether it's a newspaper, a TV station, or a website, you can find this content every day.

What makes the situation even worse is that just as NHTSA was investigating and collecting evidence at Toyota's American branch, there was another case of Camry models failing to brake near Detroit.

What's even more coincidental is that there happened to be a surveillance camera at the place where this case occurred, which filmed the process of the incident.

And this video somehow went viral.

Many television stations in the United States are also showing this video repeatedly.

This makes Toyota's situation in the United States even more difficult.

"President, sales have dropped to more than 50,000 units in the last month, and some consumers have even placed orders, and eventually canceled them."

Tetsuaki Kobayashi reported the situation of the North American branch to Fujio Zhang with a bitter face.

In the 50s of the last century, Toyota saw the booming market in the United States and decided to export its cars to the American market.

In 1957, Toyota began to export its Crown models to the United States, beginning Toyota's overseas expansion.

Today, Toyota sells more than a million vehicles a year in the United States.

On average, it is more than 100,000 units per month.

This drop to the level of more than 50,000 units was not cut in half, but directly cut to the knee.

"Our dream, like a balloon with a hole, slowly runs out of gas."

"Kobayashi-san, this time, we must reflect on it."

"The United States is the world's largest automotive market, and there is no room for error."

"Now we are only the fourth largest car company in the U.S. market in terms of sales, and we have suffered such a strong rebound."

"If we become the leader of the American market in the future, won't we have to face more open guns and hidden arrows?"

Zhang Fujifu has now been able to accept the predicament that Toyota faces in the United States.

If you don't accept it, there's no way.

Could it be that a dead duck has a hard mouth and does not admit it?

"President, although NHTSA has found out that some parts produced by brake pedal manufacturer Sidis do not meet the requirements of the drawings, this is not directly related to the 'brake door'."

"However, many reports in the media always say that the brake pedal of Sidis is of substandard quality."

"This is clearly a deliberate attempt to confuse and mislead consumers."

"Are we going to find a way to refute it?"

Tetsuaki Kobayashi was very unwilling.

The American market is Toyota's largest overseas market.

Normally, after the top leaders here return to Toyota's headquarters, they will definitely be able to be promoted.

Tetsuaki Kobayashi, who is already the executive director of Toyota Motor, has gone one step further and has even become vice president.

But now that such a single thing has happened, his future must have become bleaker.

"What's the use of rebuttals?"

"That just makes the brake gate more intense and keeps everyone's attention on us."

"It's imperative that the best thing we can do is for everyone to forget about it as soon as possible."

"Those who should admit their mistakes will admit their mistakes, and those who should be recalled will be recalled."

After this period of investigation and understanding, Zhang Fujifu also slowly understood some of the stories behind the "brake door".

Especially after inquiring with some media, I can more or less know who is behind the trouble.

As for these car companies that are fueling the flames, it doesn't matter whether they are the operators of the "brake door" or not.

Even if Toyota knew that General Motors or Ford Motor was responsible for this, what could it do?

You made money on other people's turf, and you were caught with pigtails, so you had to admit punishment.

Who made you Dongying himself a little follower of the United States.

Toyota did not dare to resist the major car companies in the United States.

"Recalls in the United States are often accompanied by compensation to consumers, which is probably not smaller than the amount."

Thinking that the money that has been earned in his pocket has to be taken out to compensate, Kobayashi Tetsuaki's heart is dripping blood.

"There will definitely be no less."

"But we can cooperate with those who should cooperate, and when it comes to compensation, there must be sufficient evidence before we can admit it."

"The company's legal department has raised so many people, and it is time for them to play a role."

Obviously, although Zhang Fujifu wanted to settle the matter as soon as possible, he didn't plan to pay so easily.

Of course, it's hard to say whether things are going so smoothly.

"Now it's mainly NHTSA that keeps staring at us, making everyone very passive."

"The media is also staring at us, always looking for some news."

When Tetsuaki Kobayashi said this, Zhang Fujifu flew over lightly and said, "Since NHTSA has so much time, then we will find something for them to do, and by the way, the media can also find some news materials from other places." ”

"Huh?"

"President, I don't really understand?"

Tetsuaki Kobayashi had some guesses in his heart, but he wasn't sure.

"I've heard that Honda has a lot of consumer complaints in the American market, right?"

"What airbags didn't work after a car accident, and the brakes were soft or something."

"And Hyundai, there seems to be no shortage of complaints about corrosion of their suspension springs and long braking distances."

"You can do something about this, so that NHTSA has something to do, and the media has news to cover."

As soon as Zhang Fujifu said this, Tetsuaki Kobayashi couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Sure enough, I still took this trick.

Fortunately, there is no need to make up news, there are already consumer complaints about these problems in the market.

All I need to do is to let these things ferment, advertise them in various media, and reveal Toyota's findings by the way.

In this way, people have received advertising fees, and Toyota's purpose of diverting the focus of public opinion has been achieved.

"President, I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

Although he had some scruples and worries in his heart, Tetsuaki Kobayashi could only choose to implement it honestly.

Dead friends do not die poor, this truth, many people recognize it in their hearts.