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Toyota Eclipses GM as Top Global Auto Seller By HANS GREIMEL AP TOKYO (April 24) - Toyota Motor Corp. became the world's top auto seller in the first three months of the year, passing rival General Motors Corp. for the first time, the Japanese automaker said Tuesday.
Who Ranks Highest in U.S.? Toyota topped auto sales from January to March globally, but it ranked third in the U.S. See U.S. rankings for the same time period.
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Talk About It: Post Thoughts Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles worldwide in the January-March quarter, the company said, surpassing the 2.26 million vehicles that GM said it sold during the same period. The results mark the first time Toyota has beat GM in global sales on a quarterly basis.
Toyota's reputation for quality and fuel efficiency has lifted sales of the popular Camry, Corolla and Prius gas-and-electric hybrid while GM has cut production as high fuel prices turned people away from its light trucks and sports utility vehicles.
While the figures represent only quarterly sales results, they foreshadow a tough challenge for GM as it fights to hold onto it title as world's top automaker - a claim usually staked on annual production figures.
Toyota has been gaining steadily on GM in recent years, and analysts have been saying it is only a matter of time before it eclipses its Detroit-based rival, which has seen its market share shrink in the United States even as it leads sales in China.
"Everybody on the road expects Toyota to overtake GM in 2007," said Koji Endo, an analyst with Credit Suisse in Tokyo. "I won't say the trend is impossible to reverse, but it's extremely difficult."
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"Toyota has been a success in almost all the regions, and is opening new plants," Endo said. "The only region GM continues to be strong is China, and it has failed almost everywhere else."
In 2006, Toyota's global production surged 10 percent to 9.018 million vehicles, while GM and its group automakers produced 9.18 million vehicles worldwide - a gap of about 162,000. In the first quarter, Toyota made 2.37 million vehicles worldwide, while GM had expected to produce 2.34 million.
But Endo also warned that increased size also brings other problems like trying to ensure quality and manage a sprawling network of manufacturing and sales.
"As your volume gets bigger and bigger, in many cases efficiency tends to drop," he said. "There might be a risk of being over-stretched."
Toyota says topping GM isn't a key priority for the company.
AOL Autos: More on Toyota
Is Toyota Afraid to Be #1? See the Popular Camry Compact Corolla Fuel-Efficient Prius View All Toyotas "Our goal has never been to sell the most cars in the world," said Paul Nolasco, a spokesman for the Japanese company. "We simply want to be the best in quality. After that, sales will take care of themselves."
Ayako Uchida, a GM spokeswoman in Japan, declined to comment on the figures but said her company's sales results were preliminary and not yet final.
In the vital American market, Toyota's sales rose 12.9 percent last year, catapulting it past DaimlerChrysler AG as the No. 3 seller of autos in the U.S. Toyota's share of the U.S. market climbed to 16 percent in March, behind GM's 22 percent and Ford Motor Co.'s 17 percent.
GM hasn't released a forecast for this year, but Toyota is shooting for global output of 9.42 million vehicles and sales of 9.34 million units.
While Toyota appears on course to supplant General Motors this year, GM's moves to boost overseas production could keep it in the running. The company's sales in China jumped 32 percent last year to 876,747 units, and it is also building a new factory in India, another market with tremendous potential.
GM launched a major restructuring in November 2005 that called for closing 12 plants by 2008, slashing its work force, reducing capacity and cutting costs.
But as Toyota rolls on, its executives are growing concerned about a possible political backlash in the U.S., even though American consumers continue to flock to Toyota dealerships. U.S. lawmakers from manufacturing states charge that the Japanese government has kept the yen artificially low, giving Japanese automakers an advantage.
"We are certainly concerned," Toyota Senior Adviser Hiroshi Okuda said earlier this year, adding that Toyota needed to "significantly" increase the number of foreigners on its board.
At that time, there were no foreigners in top positions at Toyota. But earlier this month, Toyota promoted American James Press, president of the automaker's North American division, to the inner circle.
Toyota's shares closed down 0.54 percent to 7,370 yen ($62.46) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
AP Business Writer Yuri Kageyama and and Associated Press Writer Kozo Mizoguchi contributed to this report from Tokyo.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2007-04-24 06:35:36
Posts: 6008 | From: phoenix az | Registered: Mar 2005
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one way we could gain the top again is that our big three be the leader in green cars and alternative engergy cars.
When the big three went and saw our Government about a year ago for help and were told to take a hike.
this is what we as tax payers could have helped with a complete revamping of the big three to make cars that don't burn gas that really worked and looked and worked well.
If we can afford Iraq we could afford this and do the world the best favor we could possibly do.
Also be the top auto producer in the world again
Posts: 6008 | From: phoenix az | Registered: Mar 2005
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a few years ago i said in the future the big 3 will be toyota honda and nissan... looks to be moving along rather quickly Posts: 678 | From: currently in hiding due to investigation | Registered: Oct 2004
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Hilander...not sure what you do for a living...but my family and friends up here in the Motor City will be sure to support whatever it is that you do, to ensure that you remain steadily employed...That way you will be able to pay enough in taxes to subsidize the welfare that will be needed to keep all of us in the auto industry clothed and fed...Thanks Again
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It's all in the timing... Posts: 4303 | From: DSA | Registered: Dec 2003
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I never buy new, but buy old and refurbish, then drive 'em till the wheels fall off. It miles and miles cheaper over the years.
In order to do that and both save money and have dependable transportation, you need to KNOW, not believe that the car you are refurbishing is going to last and it isn't just the Japanese cars that last.
It isn't the brand of car that makes cars last longer than they did in years past, it is mostly improvements in the stuff we put through them, like oil and gasoline, which are so much better than they used to be. (Fuels and oils are improived and let our machinery last longer and need less maintainence not because they intended to improve them, but they improved because the petroleum companies discovered that taking out the crap that reduced engine life and increased needed maintainence left them with valuable "by products" worth more than the gasoline and oil they used to be left in.)
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by retiredat49: Hilander...not sure what you do for a living...but my family and friends up here in the Motor City will be sure to support whatever it is that you do, to ensure that you remain steadily employed...That way you will be able to pay enough in taxes to subsidize the welfare that will be needed to keep all of us in the auto industry clothed and fed...Thanks Again
Well, my Tundra is built in America, the F-150 I was going to buy is built in Mexico or Canada I believe. Also, there are still at least a dozen Fords in my family that are 3 years old or newer. I just liked the Tundra better than the F-150. It's actually the first non-Ford I have owned in over fifteen years. I'm currently looking at a Ford 500 now for a commuter car.
-------------------- If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Posts: 1529 | From: Tacoma WA | Registered: Apr 2005
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All's I know fer sure is that Ford has been very good to my family so I will continue to buy and support Ford products. My uncle managed some part of the Ford truck plant in Minneapolis before he retired, and my Dad (though technicaly retired) still works as a manufacturers Rep. at the Ford plant. Always have been and always will be, "Ford true and blue"
-------------------- If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy? Posts: 2647 | From: MN | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by glassman: i have easily put over a million miles on Fords... several of them (unfortunately)
Me too glass. I just had to think about every vehicle I have owned. I made quite a list. '69 ranger, '87 F-150, 88 Bronceo II, '90 Bronco, '93 F-150, '95 F-150, '97 F-150, '97 Explorer, '02 Expedition.
Non Fords that were just plain cheap so I bought and resold. '67 Rambler, '70?? Volare, '87 Grand Am, '?? Astro Van.
Non Fords That I bought and drove......fast. '85 Camaro (berlinetta), '87 Iroc-Z, '87 Monte Carlo SS.
Still own and drive the '97 Explorer (400K miles and never a problem) and the Expedition (only 80K miles). Has been a few years since I bought a new truck though so I must be due
-------------------- If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy? Posts: 2647 | From: MN | Registered: Feb 2006
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my first car was a 69 and 70 (no lie) ugly mustang with a 302 boss engine in it... it was called at the time a police interceptor from the Cougar... i paid 400$ for it and got 1000$ worth of tickets
wish i had kept that motor
went on to build 1970 351 W motors that i put '64 and '65 289 HP heads on.... had to run cam2 in 'em but those things ROCKED... and i stopped getting tickets cuz i started dirt tracking and worked off my NFS at the track...
i also did some stuff with the FE (BIG, but not the 460) blocks... you could switch out all kinds of parts to change stroke and compression for wahtever you wanted to do...
Ford was fun that way... you really could build some hot motors right out of the junkyard if you knew what was swappable with what....
the one thing i always did was to buy aftermarket ignition systems, they played hell with TVs and 'puter monitors
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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My '69 ranger was totaly restored and refinished, very pretty truck. It had a 390 with new heads and a mild cam. 3 speed with granny gears. I could lift the front end of the ground and go two wheeling for about 15 feet. Back in my racing day's I built modifieds and I always used 351 windsors on my cars, parts were easy to come by and I liked the power. I had my best luck using that motor along with 3:73 gears or 3:90 depending on which race track I was going to. Fasr, Fast, Fast.
-------------------- If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy? Posts: 2647 | From: MN | Registered: Feb 2006
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Here we go again, old cars. My first car unofficially was a Simpca, transportation but not what you consider a car in the 60's living around all the hotrods (Volks were considered okay). My first offical car was a 51 stude with a 260 engine and 456 in the rear end, it had a 3 speed stick with overdrive. I could never keep first gear in that car, so after many many times of pulling transmissions it became a 2 speed with overdrive. One ugly car, purple with the bullet nose. You could fit several families in that car, but was a real sleeper. I better not get going again on this subject.
Posts: 3875 | From: ca. | Registered: Jul 2005
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ha.. when it comes to hotrods im a ford man.. but my heart lies with turbo imports..
btw glass .. it seems you are the jack of all trades.. hehe you and my uncle would get along splendidly. he thinks "real" motors stopped being built after they discontinued the 429 cobra jet. And he only owns 3 mercury cyclone spoilers with said motor. my first vehicle was a 74 ford with a 390, next up was a 76 bronco 302 3 on the tree. im helping my dad build a 34 ford with a 302,5speed,rear from a 94 mustang. and he just finished restoring a 29 model A with the stock, thats right stock number matching 4 cyl. and it runs nicely.
unfortunatly this is what happens when i get behind the wheel.. grandpa used to call me "shot-rod"
-------------------- "Gentleman, you have come sixty days too late. The depression is over." Herbert Hoover 1930 Posts: 678 | From: currently in hiding due to investigation | Registered: Oct 2004
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My first was a '65 Rambler "hand me down" from my aunt. 232 straight six auto. I could stand on either side of the engine, so easy to repair and work on, WTF happened to cars, so muck crap under the hood.
-------------------- If ignorance is bliss, why aren't more people happy? Posts: 2647 | From: MN | Registered: Feb 2006
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yep turbo, i've done that a few times too...
a long time ago (when i still had a young mans back) i'd pull the motor from the race car and have it down to the crank bearings and piston rings in less than six hours (alone).... when i first started palying around with the super high compression (289 hp heads)? i went thru five or six sets of pistons till i got the head gasket and the intake manifold gaskets right... i saw guy running a 302 in a 'stang at the drag strip with no nitrous that was beating all the big blocks, (under 8 seconds ) never did get a look at his trix...
i ran "street stockers" at the dirt tracks, we had a rule that required hydraulic cams? i'd buy a "mild" solid lift cam and take a part out of the hydraulic lifters so they were no longer hydraulic..it's just a tiny disc inside the lifter... they never found it.. they knew something was up cuz the rocker arms were adjustable, and the cam was obvious, but hey never did take apart the lifters
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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My first car was a Mercury Montego. The broken muffler caused exhaust to rise into the cabin. Making the longer rides realllly fun
My next car was an Aries k with a straight 454 6 in the front 2 in the rear, one off the turnbuckle, dual exaust straight piece of SHlT....hands down biggest rat-bomb ever produced by Dodge!
-------------------- "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" Posts: 4005 | From: Shaolin | Registered: Oct 2005
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) never did get a look at his trix...
