Episode Details

We're talking about the Volkswagen scandal. Yes, well, let's go back to the beginning. How did it all start? Well, Richard, if you think about it, German products, they have a good reputation, don't they? Especially for engineering, yes.

我们在谈论大众汽车丑闻。是的，那我们回到事情的起点吧。一切是如何开始的呢？理查德，如果你仔细想想，德国产品的口碑一直很好，对吧？尤其是在工程技术方面，是的。

And I think the motor car industry represents the best of all of that. Yes, they're reliable, well-designed, efficient, highly engineered. Who doesn't want to own a BMW? Or a Mercedes.

我认为汽车工业正是这些优点的最佳体现。是的，它们可靠、设计精良、高效，而且工程技术含量极高。谁不想拥有一辆宝马？或者一辆奔驰呢？

But in terms of being environmentally friendly, diesel cars have a poor reputation, particularly in the US, where very few are sold. So, yes, so when VW said that it had designed cars with a new clean diesel technology that surpassed the strict US regulations, it filled a huge hole in the market. Yes, so there are fewer fumes, Richard, toxic fumes.

但是在环保方面，柴油车的名声并不好，尤其是在美国，柴油车的销量非常少。所以，当大众汽车宣称他们设计出了一种新的清洁柴油技术，能够超越美国严格的环保法规时，这正好填补了市场上的一个巨大空白。是的，这意味着废气更少了，理查德，有毒废气更少了。

It's mainly... Nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, things like that. OK, but retaining better fuel efficiency and excellent performance. I mean, VW was on to a winner, wasn't it? Sales were soaring.

主要是……氮氧化物、一氧化碳之类的东西。好吧，但同时还能保持更好的燃油效率和出色的性能。我的意思是，大众汽车当时似乎找到了制胜法宝，不是吗？销量一路飙升。

And, of course, their US advert said, Diesel – it's no longer a dirty word. So, step in John German, a worker for a small, independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to helping reduce vehicle emissions. Yes, he was asked by his European colleague to check the emissions of two diesel VWs because they wanted to carry out on-the-road testing in the US.

当然，他们在美国的广告中还说：“柴油——不再是一个肮脏的词。”于是，约翰·杰曼登场了，他在一家小型、独立的非营利组织工作，致力于帮助减少车辆排放。是的，他的一位欧洲同事请他检测两辆大众柴油车的排放情况，因为他们想在美国进行道路实测。

So, he took two VW cars and a BMW also for a drive with a probe placed in the exhaust pipe so they could te