LONDON – Toyota has officially reclaimed its position as the world’s No. 1 car maker by sales.
On Monday, Toyota said that it sold a record 9.75 million vehicles last year. General Motors. sold 9.3 million vehicles over the same period. The No. 3 player, Germany’s fast-growing Volkswagen, sold 9.1 million vehicles.
Toyota has even bigger goals this year: Global vehicle sales of 9.9 million.
GM had been the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades before losing the title to Toyota in 2008. GM retook the sales crown in 2011, when Toyota’s production was hurt by the quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan. It was also suffering from the aftermath of the unintended-acceleration scandal and quality-perception struggles in the U.S.
But by last year, Toyota was solidly on the rebound. The government says it was unable to establish that Toyota has a widespread issue with unintended acceleration and the automaker’s Japanese plants were able to resume normal production following the disasters. Toyota, as it has in the past, says it takes no pride in being the world’s top-selling automaker.
“Rather than going after numbers, we hope to make fine products, one by one, to keep out customers satisfied. The numbers are just a result of our policy. And our policy will continue unchanged,” said Toyota spokeswoman Shino Yamada.
Analysts, however, say the sales crown is significant.
“It’s an important thing. It gives Toyota an edge,” says Alexander Edwards, president of analysts Strategic Vision in San Diego. He says it shows that Toyota is regaining its reputation for “dependability, trust and security.” When that image was tarnished, it allowed other companies like GM to move ahead. Now Toyota is scoring around the world with the right products, especially in emerging markets where its reputation is making a mark with often first-time buyers.
It won’t be easy, however, for Toyota to stay on top, Edwards warns. Other automakers are rising when it comes to sales growth and are hot on Toyota’s heels, such as South Korea’s Hyundai.
“I would be surprised if there wasn’t more fierce competition out there,” he says.
Contributing: Chris Woodyard, The Associated Press
Courtesy of USAToday.com
