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Toyota overtakes GM as world No. 1

By Paul Maric |

It’s been a long time coming – all 76-years of it. Toyota has finally overtaken GM as the world’s largest vehicle manufacturer.

Selling over 2.348-million vehicles during the first quarter of 2007, Toyota exceeded GM’s 2.26-million vehicle sales. Toyota’s sales figure includes sales from Lexus, Daihatsu, Scion and Hino Motors Limited. GM’s figure also includes sales from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Opel, Saab and over five other brands.

GM Logo

This could be the final realisation GM needs to get their act into gear. GM has been producing fuel guzzling behemoths for far too long, seldom considering new technology to decrease fuel consumption and improve emissions.

Toyota’s claim to fame and record selling streak includes their best-selling Camry and Corolla. To keep up with record demand for their vehicles, Toyota is increasing its production capacity worldwide, with an ambition to take a 15% market share by 2010.

New Toyota Corolla

All this while GM lays off 30,000 workers, closes plants and attempts to recover from drastic losses over the past two years.

This is quite possibly one of the biggest turning points in the automotive industry. Toyota is expected to post a net profit of 1.55-trillion yen (~AU$15.6-billion), whilst GM on the other hand lost US$3-billion in 2006 (~AU$3.6-billion) and over US$12-billion (~AU$14.4-billion) the year before.

It will be an interesting year for Toyota, both in Australia and worldwide. Australia expects to see the arrival of several new models, including the new Corolla, Aurion TRD, Kluger and Lexus LS460.


 
  • Lazybones

    Thats a pretty good effort by Toyota, considering they own a smaller number of brands. But I thought skynews business reported this had already happened in 2006.

    I think the Japs are more technology focused than GM and have also kept their eye on the ball more than GM. Obviously this has now paid off.

    I’m not sure how accurate the figures are from Wiki, but it claims GMH still employs about double the amount of aussies than Toyota. 8000+, 4500+ Respectively.

  • OttoAu

    Landmark day!

    Toyota is more interested in being the first company to make 10 million vehicles in a 1 year period.

    After that next milestone will be to make more vehicles than the “big-3″ combined!!

  • http://www.alborzfallah.com alborz

    It was always obvious that the Japanese were going to over take the americans in the manufacturing race,
    however what was NOT obvious was the Japanese overtaking the Europeans in the quality and innovation & technology race!

    Toyota as well as other Japanese brands do need to be congratulated for their efforts in helping bring competition to a market that was once dominated by greedy americanism.

  • http://australiancaradvice A happy Dingo

    YEAH HAA. I LOVE IT… Toyota has finally done it. My congratulations go the Toyota whole hardedly and thanks for supplying the world with good quality, reliable, dependable vehicles that are forever robust.

    Please, do yourselves a favour and keep your eye on the ball and don’t become complacant. Maintain your technology advantage and keep the traditional Toyota qualities alive and strong.

  • 280ZX

    Yeah it’s ok guys keep banging on about Toyota blah blah but just keep one thing in mind before you go bashing the yanks and thats without the Americans (who repelled the Japenese in WW11) thus our freedom just keep that in mind! So yeah well done Toyota you have beaten the Americans and this time with our help! Hmmmmm…..

  • Lazybones

    I Guess in the spirit of ANZAC day, 280ZX has a point. But then again isn’t the 280ZX a Nissan and therefore Japanese, and therefore your actually farting in the face of American values, freedom and bring back the Enola Gay :)

  • 280ZX

    LazyBones: Mate i couldnt give a shit about American values the only values i give a shit about are my own! And yes your right the 280ZX is a Nissen but it was made in a time when cars were real and not these churned out microwave’s on wheels which Toyota seem to be so good at doing! Now days its quantity not quality which matters as the last few posts on this article have proven! Bring on the Tupperware Toyota’s!

  • Paul

    What…. this has nothing to do with WW2, why would you even mention that!?!? Toyota sell decent cars, they have good management, they are number one. Anf if you want to get into the politics, it could be argued that the yanks are slowly screwing this world up, but lets jus end it and keep politics and all that crap out of this.

  • http://australiancaradvice Dingo

    Boo hoo 280ZX driver hence Japanese supporter. Dry your eyes princess and blow that sore, red, runny nose.

    Not only is Toyota the ‘World’s No.1 auto manufactuer’ but also hold the ‘World Car of the Year Award’ (2007). Apart from that they are also the world’s most efficient automotive manufactuer and the most consistantly profitable.

    Here in great Oz, Toyota Australia are doing more for our own economy then the yank counterparts. Not only are they ‘hiring’ and not ‘firing’ like Holden and Ford but utilise more Australian sourced components then the other 3 local manufactuers and have the healiest export regime.

    Toyota Australia is returning profit hence workforce security and not losses like Holden hence why they are downsizing and currently do not have workforce security.

    So… what exactly are you saying princess ??

  • Paul

    ^

    Not to mention they sponsor alot of things, like sports etc… recently Ive noticed Holden havent been. Holden really do mean a great deal to Australia………………………………….

  • http://australiancaradvice Steve Lyon

    Microwaves on wheels haa. Holden has become the new Daewoo outlet and i couldn’t think of anyhing more microwave like.

    The poorly 2 star rated Barina, Viva, Captiva and the upcoming Epica are all woeful Daewoo sourced products. GM/Holden are supporting the Korean economy and i believe we fought battles with them many years ago. Hmmmm, so much for your WW2 spit of the dummy wanker ZX.

    Not only does Ford own controlling stakes in Mazda but just about all of us enjoy electronic entertainment sourced predominatly from a Japanese firm. Holden is NOT Australian either but 100% American owned and controlled as with Ford Australia. Besides, in modern war we are fighting WITH the Japanese and not against so switch on ZX moron and get with the times.

    No use living in the far past when todays economy feed and educate our kids. Do you really think the Americans give a damn about our economy… nope, not at all just thier own. I’m over American cars and want better and today many Japanese and European brands supply just that and not dinosar, yester-year, unreliable, poor grade crap from General Motors.

  • http://telus.net PATRICK GUILLEMOT

    TO BE NUMBER ONE SOUNDS GREAT FOR TOYOTA,AND IS.JUST REMEMBER THE REASON,THIS IS HAPPENING,IS THAT GM IS NOT
    SUPPLYING CAR RENTAL FLEETS ANYMORE,THUS THE REASON FOR
    TOYOTA TO GO N0 1.THIS SAID,I OWN AND DRIVE A CADILLAC
    SEVILLE STS,AND A NEW 2007 NEW STYLE CHVROLET SILVERADO
    AND WOULD NOT SWTCH THEM FOR ANY TOYOTA’S.FOR ONE REASON.I WORK AND LIVE IN CANADA,AND SUPPORT THE NORTH
    AMERICAN ECONOMY.ALTHOUGH TOYOTA CARS MAY BE GREAT,I
    WANT TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN,WITH TOYOTA QUALITY AND SERVICE.WITH A GREATER NUMBERS OF VEHICLES TO BE LOOKED
    AFTER.I AGREE THAT GM NEEDED A WAKE UP CALL,AND BELIEVE
    THAT WE WILL SEE BETTER PRODUCTS,COMMING OUT OF GM SOON
    DONT FORGET THE CHINESE CARS,THEY WILL BE INVADING,THE WORLD,VERY SOON,AT HALF THE TOYOTA PRICES,ALTHOUGH IN MY OPINION,THEY ARE NOT OF THE TOYOTA QUALITY,THEY WILL
    FIX THE PROBLEM,BY DOING WHAT THE JAPANESE,HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO,IS TO COPY AND IMPROVE THE BEST NORTH AMERICAN,AND EUROPEAN CARS.TOYOTA IS ALREADY HAVING QUALITY PROBLEMS,BECAUSE OF THE EXTRA NUMBERS OF VEHICLES PRODUCED,SO TO STAY N01 THEY WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY VEHICLES !!! NOT AN EASY TASK AHEAD.

  • http://australiancaradvice Mick W.

    Patrick.

    GM has ALWAYS had quality problems from day one until the very present. Infact, the whole GM organistaion is a problem. How can they sell so many cars and not make a single dime of profit. GM is a terible company manufacturing terrible cars and Toyota embracing the culture they do will rectify thier faults quick smart because that’s what they do best.

    Get over your heap of shit GM product and learn to inspect the vast array of great cars that are on offer. GM has always manufactured crap cars because they are a crap company and quite frankly, i believe the rest of the world is actually starting to wake up and actknowledge this.

    As long as my arse faces the ground, i will never buy a car from a GM controlled company. Infact, it is a TOYOTA for me and i bet that hurts more then a gravel rash. Lets acknowledge GM’s new found love in life – DAEWOO, how bloody pathetic. You know what modern day GM is… the new Daewoo outlet.

    PATHETIC CARS FROM A PATHETIC COMPANY.

  • Ed

    err… isnt a 280zx a datsun anyway?

    well done toyota!

  • Paul

    Yeah Mick.W right on..particularly about GM or Holden as we know them now being a Daewoo outlet. The way I see it GM fooled Aussies renmaing themselves Holden… now they are fooling Aussies by renaming Daewoos as Holden. Well Im sure there are some idiots out their who will buy their new trash Captiva, Epica and Barina but anyone who is half-informed wont lay a hand on it… let alone many of their other products.

  • Myke

    Paul, the Epica hasn’t come out yet, so you have no idea how it drives, yes it will most likely be under par compared to the Vectra, but wait and see. As for the Captiva, very few companies offer a seven seat, V6 (or choice of diesel), SUV for such a small price. It’s not a drivers car, but it does suite families. The Barina however is rubbish and I agree with that.