TOYOTA'S race to become the world's biggest car company has taken a heavy toll. On April 12th the Japanese carmaker was forced into suspending sales in America, this time of a top-of-the-range Lexus sport-utility vehicle, to investigate accusations that the car is in danger of toppling over under sharp cornering. The reputation of the firm, which sold more cars than General Motors for the first time in 2007, has suffered a battering after a spate of recent recalls to fix cars that accelerate unbidden. Most pundits reckon that Toyota took its eyes off quality control in its efforts to overtake GM.

AP