Italians' love for fast cars is legendary眾所皆知. But glamour魅力 is, it would seem, no defence against the current economic gloom暗淡, 低迷.
New figures from the Italian motor dealers經銷商' federation聯盟 show that the country's best known luxury sports cars, Ferrari and Maserati, have seen their sales in Italy plummet垂直落下 over the past year; Ferrari's by more than 56%, Maserati's by 72%.
The actual實際 number of vehicles sold is, of course, tiny. Just 248 Italians forked out for支出 a Ferrari last year, not surprising, perhaps, when each car costs the equivalent of up to $300,000.
The head of the motor traders' federation blamed high taxes for the fall in sales.
New figures from the Italian motor dealers經銷商' federation聯盟 show that the country's best known luxury sports cars, Ferrari and Maserati, have seen their sales in Italy plummet垂直落下 over the past year; Ferrari's by more than 56%, Maserati's by 72%.
The actual實際 number of vehicles sold is, of course, tiny. Just 248 Italians forked out for支出 a Ferrari last year, not surprising, perhaps, when each car costs the equivalent of up to $300,000.
The head of the motor traders' federation blamed high taxes for the fall in sales.
However, while poorer Italians may register an uncharacteristic flicker of schadenfreude幸災樂禍 at the news that their richer compatriots同胞 are cutting back, they won't have much time to gloat.
Official figures recently showed that almost a third of Italians are on the verge of poverty貧困邊緣, while the average Italian family is bracing itself for支撐 an extra €585 of government taxes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2013/01/130104_witn_italian_car_sales_crash.shtml
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