宏浩翻譯有限公司

◎管淑平

Japanese Toyotas, German Mercedes and BMWs, GM cars and trucks from the USA are driven in countries around the world. But in Ghana an inventor and church leader who started out trying to make voice-controlled television sets is telling the auto giants to move over.

在世界各國，駕駛人開著日本的豐田汽車、德國的賓士和BMW、來自美國的通用汽車和卡車。但在迦納，一名從製造聲控電視機初試啼聲的發明家和教會領袖，要這些汽車製造巨擘閃一邊去。

Kwadwo Safo Kantanka － nicknamed the "Apostle" because he also runs a network of churches － has finally realised his dream of developing and marketing cars "Made in Ghana".

因為同時主持教會而有「使徒」綽號的卡瓦多．薩佛．坎坦卡，終於實現他的夢想，研發、銷售「迦納製造」的汽車。

"It’s been in the pipeline since 1971," Kwado Safo junior, one of the inventor’s sons, told AFP.

「這個夢想從1971年開始構思」，這名發明家的兒子小卡瓦多．薩佛告訴法新社。

The sticker price of the vehicles run from $18,000 to $35,000 － out of range for most people in Ghana.

這些汽車的標價從1萬8000到3萬5000美元不等，超過迦納大多數人所能負擔的範圍。

The locally made vehicles are entering a tough market, going up against established brands in a country that sees about 12,000 new and 100,000 second-hand cars imported every year.

這些在地製造的車輛正進入一個艱困的市場，在一個每年進口約1萬2000輛新車、10萬輛二手車的國家，面對既有品牌的競爭。

But the inventor’s son, who is chief executive of the Kantanka Group, is confident the demand is there and the firm can hold its own in the competition. （AFP）

但這名現任坎坦卡集團執行長的發明家之子有信心，認為仍有市場需求，而且該公司能在競爭中站穩腳步。（法新社）

新聞辭典：

in the pipeline：片語，計畫中，處理中。例句：The new law has been in the pipeline for years.（這條新法已經醞釀數年。）

go/be up against someone：片語，面對某人的競爭。例句：We will go up against a tough team tomorrow.（我們明天將迎戰一支勁敵。）

hold one’s own：片語，（在面臨挑戰時）守住陣地、立場，或相匹敵。例句：I believe the new product can hold its own in emerging markets.（我相信這項新產品能站穩新興市場。）