Toyota Is World's No. 1 Automaker
First Quarter Sales Bypassed GM For The First Time Ever
-
-
he company sign is in the background of a 2007 FJ four-wheel-drive vehicle on the lot at a Toyota dealership in the south Denver suburb of Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, April 22, 2007. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
-
Toyota shows off the interior of its hybrid vehicle, the Prius, at the Shanghai Auto fair, April 21, 2007. Chinese automakers, staking their claim, are also showcasing gas-electric hybrids and fuel cell models. (AP)
-
-
Interactive Motor Away Things to know before hitting the road.
-
Photos 2007 Detroit Auto Show The automotive industry pops the hood on the North American International Auto Show.
-
Interactive Alternative Energy Learn about the types of renewable energy that are used in the U.S. and the regions of the country considered to be most suitable for each kind.
Toyota sold 2.348 million vehicles worldwide in the January-March quarter, company spokesman Satoshi Yamaguchi 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, he said.
While the figures represent only quarterly sales results, they foreshadow a tough challenge for GM as it fights to hold onto its 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, a market with tremendous potential.
While GM has struggled to shore up earnings with job cuts and plant closures, Toyota has expanded rapidly, thanks partly to the popularity of its fuel-efficient cars.
In 2006, Toyota's global output surged 10 percent to 9.018 million vehicles, while GM produced 9.18 million vehicles worldwide.
© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The secrets of tennis legend 




- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 51 CommentsMy Toyota has less than 100,000 miles and
1. It's on it's 2nd radiator
2. It's on its 3rd carburetor
3. It's on it's 3rd water pump
4. It's on it's 2nd starter
5. It's on it's 2nd clutch
6. It's on it's 2nd or 3rd set of brakes
7. The radio died.
8.. It's on it's third set of tires.
People are not telling the whole truth about the maintenance on imports. As Albert Einstein said "There are two things that are infinite; the universe and human stupidity; I am not sure about the universe".
Engineers for American car companies have been made the slaves of the company accountants and forced to compromise good design with cheap materials and poor quick design decisions. Unfortunately the accountants were only counting their dollars in the short term, and now the American car companies are paying the price. They brought it on themselves. As well, the Toyota plant in Kentucky is known for being a great place to work with excellent incentives and benefits packages for its workers...sounds like the American work force 30 years ago...
Its funny, all these auto companies now buy all thier parts from the same people. Globalization has almost run its course in this industry. And its probably going to be the thing that saves GM. They can now buy the cheap components from South Korea and China just like Toyota does. So these cars are a collection of pieces.....and all the pieces come from the same suppliers....they are really not that different. Now mind you, this is a recent development. But the benifits of globalization are now starting to take shape for GM.
What a great car! We have 190,000 miles on ours and it and it still shines like the gem that it is. It probably won't become a classic though because to many 96-99 Maximas are still around and still looking like new. This car won't die - ever!
at 50+ MPG I could drive around the world for just $500 .. with air conditioning !!
I can get 55 to 60 if i milk it. i'll probably start doing that if gas goes to $4.00 a gallon.
Of course it IS made in Japan by Suzuki.
BSTs (SUVs) are cheap to make and can be sold for a huge mark up.
If Americans ever decide they want something more sophisticated than a pickup truck with gadgets on the inside, the American auto manufacturers will be out of business.
Then GM wonders why it looses customers like me.
The elite power structure of America focused on Short Term Greed. Long Term Greed was beyond their little minds. They couldn't/can't see quite further than the next quarterly statement.
Besides many of the "foreign" cars being sold in the US are actually built here with American labor and the Big Three are all just as international as the Japanese are. There are no more American made vs foreign made cars sales any longer. All of the companies are worldwide.
Posted by lawandorder6 at 01:25 PM : Apr 24, 2007
Well I glad to hear the management had nothing to do with it.
Or the fact that health care cost in the US are double what they are in every other industrialized country.
Besides - you ask me, and I couldn't care less about initial quality surveys. I EXPECT a car to do well out the gate! If it doesn't it IS a piece of ***! Where it counts is how that car does 5 years down the road. My SC400 is a '93 and still purrs like a kitten baby!
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 51 Comments