Toyota Is World's No. 1 Automaker

First Quarter Sales Bypassed GM For The First Time Ever

(AP)  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.

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.

[incog-nito]

I'm sure the American taxpayers will bail out GM when it finally goes under, like they've done so many times before with other large companies. Big business loves to talk about free enterprise, until they get in trouble. Then suddenly it's corporate welfare.

[acauble1]

Toyota has over a half-dozen models that are hybrids and get well over 40 MPG.

GM has........ ZIP, ZERO, ZILCH, NADA! (for you Monster Garage fans)

Oh but GM has "flex fuel" vehicles! BIG F'ING DEAL! And it doesn't make a tird's worth of difference if you live in states which don't have Ethanol stations (within 1 hour from your friggen house).

As such, Toyota will win by merely creating cars that the public wants. And now, with gas prices soaring everywhere, the public wants more fuel efficient vehicles. As of now, Toyota produces more of those types of vehicles than GM.

The marketshare equation is simple.

[acauble1]

"BUY AMERICAN!".........



........ I will when they (the manufacturers) get their head out of their A$$!

[aeasus]

why should we buy American automobiles and send more oil money to the middle east?

American auto makers need to look to the future,their "glory days" are not just about horsepower anymore!

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[mbcsmith]

The LABOR UNIONS have KILLED the goose that laid the golden egg. With all the BENEFITS demanded by the unions, a labor hour in the U.S. is about $90/hr. The Japanese can pay about $20. The OUTRAGEOUS demands of the LABOR UNIONS have themselves to BLAME for outsourcing.

[jon_mccain]

Perhaps now, in the time of $3 a gallon gas, the CEO of GM should stand up and proclaim his company's focus is going to be on large trucks and SUVs. Oh wait.......he already did that.

[lawandorder6]

US car makers are lost. They make BAD cars. They spend and talk big about quality and have very little. But at the same time charge for it. They wont listson to any one, unless you are one of tham. Thay wast more money on things they don't need to make cars.

[antoniof123]

mbcsmith you really do not know much about what the big three have done it was not the unions that wanted to be paid later instead of then. It was the execs who did not want to pay so instead they gave medical benefits for the rest of the employees lives. I would take that over a raise any day. So please when you shoot off your mouth make sure you are not listening to neo con wit because as you can see that just does not work.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[jon_mccain]

The LABOR UNIONS have KILLED the goose that laid the golden egg. With all the BENEFITS demanded by the unions, a labor hour in the U.S. is about $90/hr. The Japanese can pay about $20.
Posted by mbcsmith

The other side of the coin...

American CEOs are paid roughly twenty-two times more than Japanese CEOs, and six times more than British CEOs (Conyon 2000). But twenty-two times more is a far jump from being just slightly %u201Cover paid.%u201D Executive officers of foreign corporation make between 4% and 27% of the amount earned by the average American executive.
http://www.cab.latech.edu/~mkroll/510_papers/fall_05/Group6.pdf

[antoniof123]

Let me see Ford lost over 10 billion dollars last year laid off how many 40 thousand and guess what the CEO MADE 26 MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR FOR NOTHING. This is what Senator Web was talking about it is not the Unions it is the fat cat living off of us poor middle class. I am tired of them it is time we enact a new law when you make so much you pay that much more in taxes.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[jumkey]

Sure mbcsmith, blame the Unions for the failure of GM to make cars I want to buy. Last I heard design and management weren't union jobs. So if it hurts when you think, just don't do it, OK?

GM makes crappy cars, bottom line. I just bought an FJ, after looking at the H3 which was $5000 more with less features and poor quality.

So screw 'em. Welcome to the global economy American business, let's see you complete.

[themightyhoe]

The American car company has done more for this country than any other industry in our history. It has employed millions of Americans over the years and created a vibrant middle class. This country wouldn't be what it is today without the big three. Without these industrial powerhouses we would of lost WW2.

Yes, they made some crappy cars over the years. But they are makeing the best cars they have ever made RIGHT NOW! We've had the screws put to us...it hurts. I don't want to watch any more of my friends get laid off.

As far as the unions go....its not thier fault. The German unions are way worse than the US unions and they still make money. And the Toyota workers down south are makeing more than the UAW guys up here! It gonna catch up them too.

Toyota has got this sterling reputation as a bullet proof car maker. But thats all it is....a reputation. The truth is they had a huge number of recalls last year. And for every 300,000 mile Toyota I can point to 300,000 mile Chevy.

[ov442]

American Companies are driven by Stockholders requirements to achieve a quick buck, - now now now. They have no real interest in investment in the long term future or being a good company. They could care less about workers, business relationships, or quality. Its all about doing everything they can to get that royal dollar ASAP for shareholders. CEO's are trained to make themselves rediculously rich in only a few years of finding a way to cut costs constantly instead of finding ways to make better products. Japanese and now Korean business is in it for the long term. They showed that by gradually and determinedly spending money, and making good quality vehicles that keep customers coming for better products.
Its not that US manufacturers dont know how, they have policy that requires them to give kickbacks to dealerships and fast dollars to stockholders. Why do you think they have spent the last 40 years engineering parts to fail on purpose at specific wear points, and time frames? after warrenties, and dealerships giving hard times to customers, etc.

[pollroller1]

I have a GM car that is going on 4 years old and I've had no problems. GM is building some of the best cars on the planet.

[pensacola8-2009]

Disaster and Success are a chain of events.

CEO Roger Smith took down GM in the 80's GM is paying the price today.

When the US Dollar was devaluing against the Japanese Yen, Japanese cars prices escalated, and instead of reorganizing GM to retool and make fuel-efficient cars, he raised the price of GM cars and reaped profits to waste money on unprofitable ventures. He could have re-tooled with the windfalls of cash, but he didn't.

He bought EDS (Ross Perot's old company)Hughes, and many other companies that aren't helping GM today.

Americans have to be able to stop pompass and arrogant CEO's in their destructive tracks.

Greedy CEO's take their companies down and blame others for their failures. We are too stupid to listen and print their comments and quote them on TV. Board of Directors are not reforming as they should.

Globalization will teach us how to find loopholes in other countries....in other words...Learn to speak Chinese.

[pensacola8-2009]

Toyota is a superior company in many measures. They were patient and had foresight to know their market. They knew are needs better than we did. They knew our wants, but met our needs, first.

[ov442]

Im sure the US big 3 are building better quality now then ever before, but its a bit late for the industry. The foreign ones beat them in the 80s and 90s for quality & price. I have owned, an olds cutlass, Ford LTD, Honda Accord, Ford thunderbird, Ford Taurus wagon, Toyota camry, 2 Nissan Maximas, an Olds Silhouette, 2 dodge caravans, 2 plymouth voyagers, a chevy corsica, and 1 Ford F150. I can tell you from my own experiences that, all of them had oddball low cost issues and rust problems, except the Silhouette didnt rust. All of the US cars except the Taurus wagon have had HUGE problems as well, including Critical massive suspension/steering issues, recalls, Engine damage, premature wear, critical part failures, and transmissions..omg..transmissions, i hate them.
Each of the Japanese vehicles had only the minor odd items which were easily fixed - speedometer, rusted off manifold bolts, broken caliper, rusted frame section, bad strut, power windows failing, sunroof leak, dash lights out, etc. All between 100,000 and 175,000 miles. each of the foriegn ones over 190k each before I sold them still in good shape, one over 230k.
Same experiences from everyone i know. I know no one (here in michigan) that has any american vehicles over 250k miles except one friend had a Pontiac Grand prix with 400,000 miles.

[themightyhoe]

Rodger Smith was a terrible CEO. I didn't like Rick Wagner at first either. But now I think he's doing a hell of a job. I think he's in it for the long run. And you can thank the unions for keeping his pay so low.

Toyota came over here in the 80's(thanks Rodger) and we showed them how to do everything! About 7 years ago we went over there copied what they were doing. Toyota is going to surpass GM as the #1 automaker. They are a very effective company. But given time they are gonna run into the same legacy problems that GM is facing. And hopefully they will run into a few bad CEO's also.
But in the mean time we're kicking thier *** with our new products. Time will tell.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[vmcneal2]

Most people who think GM still makes junk have not driven a GM product in 20 years. Just look a JD powers reliability/sales satifaction surveys and see which companies have the most cars in the top ten. I'll give you a hint it's not Toyota or Honda. GM just seems to be the company people love to hate.

[ov442]

for vmcneal2 -
read into it as you will...

2005 J.D. Powers survey ranks cars by overall owner satisfaction=

Top vehicles by category
Compact car: MINI Cooper
Entry midsize car: Pontiac G6
Premium midsize car: Kia Amanti
Full-size car: Toyota Avalon
Entry Luxury car: Lexus IS300/IS300 SportCross/Mercedes-Benz C-class
Mid luxury car: Lexus GS300/GS430 (2006)
Premium luxury car: Lexus LS430
Sporty car: Ford Mustang
Premium sports car: Chevrolet Corvette
Midsize pick-up: Honda Ridgeline (2006)
Light-duty full-size pick-up: Cadillac Escalade EXT
Heavy-duty full-size pick-up: GMC Sierra HD
Entry SUV: Kia Sportage
Mid-size SUV: Nissan Murano
Full-size SUV: Nissan Armada
Entry luxury SUV: Lexus RX400h (2006)
Premium luxury SUV: Land Rover Range Rover
Midsize van: Honda Odyssey
Full-size van: Chevrolet Express

[ov442]

June 2006 JD powers Initial Quality Survey -

2006 IQS Ranking Highlights

Lexus and Toyota models continue to dominate initial quality rankings, capturing 11 out of 19 segment awards in 2006. Lexus models rank highest in every segment in which they compete. In addition, the LS 430 ties the Porsche Cayman for having the fewest quality problems in the industry. Other top-ranking Lexus models include: IS 250/IS 350, ES 330, SC 430, GX 470 and LX 470.

Toyota remains a quality benchmark, capturing five model-level awards%u2014for the Corolla, Solara, Camry, Highlander and Sequoia%u2014more than any other non-luxury brand.

Porsche and Lexus lead the luxury brands, while Hyundai, Toyota and Honda set the pace among non-luxury brands.

[ov442]

heres for late 90s used vehicles
J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
Lexus Ranks Highest in Vehicle Dependability
For Sixth Consecutive Year
Certified Used Vehicles Outperform Other Used Vehicles In Vehicle Dependability Study
The 2000 study includes responses from 28,415 original owners and owners who purchased used 1996 model-year vehicles.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2000

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.%u2014Lexus ranks highest in long-term dependability for the 6th consecutive year, with less than half the vehicle problems than average - according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2000 Vehicle Dependability Study. Following Lexus in the ranking is sports car manufacturer Porsche, with Infiniti, Toyota & Acura, respectively, rounding out the top 5. Only 3 non-luxury makes are in the top 10 Toyota, Honda and Buick.
Cadillac finished 11th, Olds finished 13th, Saturn 16th, and Ford, 21st.
*Finishing below industry Average in Alphebetical order are: Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Eagle, GMC, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Plymouth, Pontiac, Saab, Suzuki, Volvo, and Volkswagon.

[ov442]

.D. Power and Associates Reports: MEXICO Automotive Plants Outperform U.S. Assembly Plants
In Initial Vehicle Quality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 8, 2003
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.%u2014The initial quality level of vehicles produced at plants in Mexico and exported to the United States has surpassed that of vehicles manufactured at U.S. plants, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2003 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) released this week.
~~~
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: TOYOTA Motor Sales Captures Top Corporate Ranking in Vehicle Dependability
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 29, 2004
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.%u2014With 7 models topping their vehicle segments & Lexus ranking highest among nameplates, Toyota Motor Sales, USA. captures the top corporate ranking in the J.D. Power and Associates 2004 Vehicle Dependability StudySM.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[screamingbm]

Nice Job Toyota! Your cars are great! Too bad we can't say that about the "Big 3". They got too fat and happy and don't start to innovate until it's forced to by quality and efficency driven japanese automakers. Thanks especially to Ford that convinced me never to buy american after 13 recalls and many other expensive premature failures on my '98 Explorer (Quality is job 1, right? ya right). Yeah, go ahead and crank out Excursions and Hummers and Hemis to provide a steady stream of money to terrorist middle east nations to fill these hogs up while you wrap them in American flag decals. Suckers.

[incog-nito]

Not to worry. When GM finally goes under it will be the American taxpayer who will bail it out, as they have done for Chrysler, Harley-Davidson, etc. in the past. Big business loves to talk about the gospel of the free market, that is until they get in trouble. Then suddenly they love socialism in the form of corporate welfare.

[supercoupe40]

Yep. They're reaping what they've sewn alright. Neither of them will go under though. There'll always be enough "Buy American" sentiment to keep them afloat. Plus, truth be told, they are starting to put out some products that people really do want to buy. You can't deny the influence and success of your Chrysler 300's, GM G6's and Ford Edges. Are they terribly fuel efficient? No, but not everybody makes purchase decisions based on fuel efficiency. Of all the places in the world to worry about fuel efficiency, America (the most prosperous, and free-marketed country on earth) is not where you'll find a grand percentage of that count. Heck, I don't drive a 4-ltr V8 Lexus SC400 for its fuel efficiency. I drive it because I fell in love with the car back in college and was finally able to get one pre-owned. I'll get no less than 400k mi out of it before passing it down to my son.

[supercoupe40]

Another truth is that the 'Little 3', have learned their lesson, and the benefit of their corrective measures are just now beginning to be seen and felt. Regardless of the fact that many people (myself included) don't want to believe that their quality ratings are climbing at a rate that will put them (on paper) near the level of Toyota or Honda within just a few more years, much of the general public has had their fill of problem-prone American automotive products of the past 40 years. And regardless of how many J.D.Power Initial Quality Surveys they come out on or near the top of, it will take another decade for a majority of public sentiment to turn back in their favor.

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!

[lawandorder6]

THE UAW cause the big 3 to go DOWN. THE UAW they are no good.

[sparks224]

%u201CTHE UAW cause the big 3 to go DOWN. THE UAW they are no good.%u201D
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.

[vastr-wcon]

There is no surprise in the news that Toyota is number 1. I just bought a new Honda Accord, after looking at Camry and a few GM, Ford, Chryslers. The Honda is great value for the cost and outstanding quality; the Camry was a close second. The others are total ***, with poor gas mileage.

[randalds]

The plain and simple truth is that they make better cars for a better price. In the late 70's the US automakers were almost taken down by the Japanese because of fuel economy. For awhile it seemed as if they'd learned there lesson, but then they started building their whole market based on huge SUV's who's sales are particularly sensitive to rises in fuel prices. Yes the public wanted them, but putting all of their eggs in this one basket was ignorant.

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.

[vancouverboo]

It's only going to get worse.

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.

[glidescube]

I bought a new pontiac and the engine blew at 9,500 miles, the transmition followed at 16,000 and the alternator went at 22,000 miles. Of course it was under warranty but it still cost me time and lost hours at work to get it fixed. I bought a toyota Prius and have 25,000 miles on it and it still drives like new with out so much as a squeek.

Then GM wonders why it looses customers like me.

[sparks224]

GM, Ford and Chrysler should all merge and change their name to Big Stupid Trucks are us.

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.

[randalds]

Then again I do have a 1998 Chevy Tracker that I've now owned for nearly 10 years. I keep it around because it's been paid for for years and it runs great! I love it and have never had a bit of trouble with it. Just basic oil changes and tune-ups and one new battery.

Of course it IS made in Japan by Suzuki.

[okieman11]

I bought a 2005 Nissan Sentra w/5 miles on the odometer. Had problems with suspension, engine and the power windows all before 17,000 miles. It just goes to show people that think Japanese/Foreign cars are the best. All automakers make junk, not just the big 3. I just purchased a 2007 Chevy HHR and now have 20,000 and it is great. No problems.

[downtowner97]

Tucker called it.

[tbweb]

Toyota makes a great vehicle. I had a Camry for over 10 years and changed the tires and oil regularly and that was it. When I gave it up I didn't want to, I felt like I could have drove it another 10 years. Toyota makes a quality product and its hard to argue with quality. A friend on mine had a Toyota Tercel for over 14 years and that Tercel was still running good when he sold it for $1200.00. He told me he never changed the oil, never washed it and completely abused that Tercel and he said it just adjusted to his abuse and kept running with no problems. Toyota is the Gold standard for auto quality and other car makers had better pay attention or continue to lose market share. Long warrantys in some cases 10 years long are good but who wants to be sitting in the shop no matter how well the service is, you want to be on the road and not losing time at the repair shop. American cars are a lot better now, a lot better but they still have staying power issues and seem not to be as reliable pass 5 years according to people I talk to.

[jgiallor]

My '89 TOYOTA Camry @189,900 miles can be found STILL For Sale on Auto Trader for CHEAP. And, once known as the most stolen car in America because its model year ran for 7 years without change along with the Honda Accord tells all of us - You dont have to mess with success. Im sure those window cranks and door locks are the same in the widely acclaimed ES 250 Lexus, just has more "panache" with leather and all. These cars run great for a long time!

[jebby_one]

I love my Prius !!

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.

[jebby_one]

Is my 1998 Maxima becomming a classic?

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!

[themightyhoe]

Its true....GM has pissed away alot of customers. Its gonna take years for them win them back. If they can at all. I can say from being on the inside that the company has taken a 180. Its a totally different company. Will the new products be enough to stop the bleeding? I don't know.

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.

[ander241]

I have kept two cars for 12 years before they had such expensive problems I had to sell them outright. The first was the new 1972 Pontiac Firebird (loved that car), then a Subaru XT Coupe. Now, I have had a Toyota Celeca for 6 1/2 year and plan to keep it until it starts to cause expenses. I have never had it in the shop for a problem. I love it and would have gotten a Prius had one been available then...for less gas comsumption. This Toyota is wonderful and great to look at. People really comment on the appearance since the 2000s were especially sporty looking before the style changed a tad. No more American cars for me.

[ajcarlson62]

Our 2004 Toytota pickup has 236,000 miles on it and the only repair it has had is a new thermostat. (aside from regular stuff like brakes and tires). It is the most solid vehicle ever made and I love driving it knowing that there was so much thought that went into designing it. It still starts and runs like a champ.

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...