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.

三菱汽车(MitsubishiMotors)承认，对其汽车进行的燃油经济性测试从上世纪90年代初起就存在问题，使这起已经损害其信誉和国内销售的丑闻进一步扩大。

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.

日本第六大汽车制造商在测试中行为不当的最新消息曝光之前，全球汽车行业出现多次爆料，动摇了消费者对汽车制造商所宣传的油耗和尾气排放数据的信心。

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.

三菱汽车上周表示，其将四款在日本销售的小排量车的燃油效率夸大了高达10%，受影响车辆超过60万辆。该公司正计划查实其在海外销售的车辆是否受到影响。这家汽车生产商表示，其内部调查发现，其燃油经济性测试方法并未遵守日本标准，受影响的车型可以追溯到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.

但在日本国土交通省昨日发布的报告中，三菱汽车透露其燃油经济性测试自1991年就违反了国内标准，那年日本开始实行一种不同的测试方法。

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.

三菱汽车表示，该公司之前使用的测试方法和美国所用的方法一样。考虑到两国不同的路况和驾驶习惯，两种方法中哪一种能得出更好的燃油经济性数据还不清楚。

“It’s unclear whether employees were aware that the method was improper,”saidTetsuro Aikawa, president of Mitsubishi Motors.

“还不清楚员工是否意识到这种方法不当，”三菱汽车社长相川哲郎(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.

三菱汽车表示，该公司相信其在其他国家使用的测试方法是正确的，但补充说将向日本以外的有关部门提供证据。美国当局已经要求三菱汽车提供有关其发动机的信息，但三菱汽车执行副社长中尾龙吾(Ryugo Nakao)表示，该公司还未发现任何证据表明其在日本以外存在不实燃油经济性数据。

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.

该公司还未查明为何会出现这一不当行为，以及谁应该对此负责。由3名律师组成的独立小组预计将在大约3个月后完成对该事件的调查。

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.

三菱汽车尚未决定将进行多少赔偿，以及是否需要从三菱集团内部寻求财务支持以支付这项成本。2004年，三菱汽车承认隐瞒汽车缺陷达数十年，在爆出那起汽车安全性丑闻后，三菱汽车获得了三菱集团的一笔纾困资金。