????我還想進一步問些問題，但一個小時的采訪時間已經到了。他起身與我握手，并擺好姿勢準備拍照。緊接著他迅速鉆進一輛黑色的LFA跑車，隨之傳來了排氣管的轟鳴聲。

????我關心的大部分問題都得到了解答。在汽車行業里，豐田公司可以說在具體細節上做到了最好。但多年的成功經驗也讓公司變得有些僵化，保留了一些不明智的做法，豐田現在正在革除這些弊病。豐田長期以來的一個頑疾是，始終未能通過產品與客戶建立起情感的紐帶?，F在，豐田章男正在親自抓這個問題，而且已經取得了一定進展。豐田公司從不對外展示未來上市的新車型，但我從經銷商那里了解到，將于明年春天上市的2013款亞洲龍（Avalon）轎車在風格和外觀方面都非常特別。如果后續車型也能達到同樣的高水準，那么豐田章男提出的“永遠追求更好的汽車”或許也能與著名的“親自到現場查看”一樣，成為豐田公司的座右銘。

????譯者：李玫曉/汪皓

????Akio is pushing Toyota to make "always better cars," and Uchiyamada is the point man. For years enthusiasts have complained that Toyota treats cars like transportation appliances and allows companies such as Hyundai to seize design leadership. Uchiyamada says the critics were right. He told me: "Basically, Toyota's growth had been underpinned by QDR [quality, dependability, reliability] that was very high compared with competitors'. However, since the Lehman shock [in 2008], large-scale sales of Toyota vehicles have decelerated. Compared with past practices, we need to make products that are even more attractive. We have stepped up our efforts emphasizing design, high quality of the interiors."

????Appearances count, but Uchiyamada has no intention of allowing Toyota to lose its green credentials either. This spring Toyota will launch the plug-in Prius, a $32,000 car that he believes is the best short-term solution to freeing the automobile from gasoline. Unlike conventional hybrids, the plug-in has a large battery that can power the car for up to 15 miles on electricity alone and be recharged at home. "I think the plug-in is the most practical technology of the future that will see great potential for mass dissemination. It can be recognized as an electric vehicle without having to worry about running out of battery. If the battery runs out, the car can.