Ford's other main rival, DaimlerChrysler, may be taking a risk buying 34% of Mitsubishi Motors, just as the Japanese firm has revealed that it has covered up product defects for 20 years, but at least it has used Mitsubishi's problems to force down the asking price and to install its own man as chief operating officer.

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Nor does it work in domestic policy, where personal salesmanship has failed to overcome the defects of legislation.

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Battered by a scandal involving a cover-up of defects, it is also in even worse shape than Nissan, whose domestic market share has been falling for 26 years.

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She has not aborted the seven-week-old fetus, but it is unknown whether the mistake will cause birth defects or other complications.

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