Toyota Expects Sales to Top Gm's This Year

Last Wednesday, Toyota Motor Corp. announced its global production rise of 9.2 percent in November. For 76 years, General Motors held the title of being the world’s largest automaker, and Toyota is starting to shake GM so the crown may fall off.

Toyota is one of the five Japanese automakers who made their overall global production increase for last month.

According to Toyota, they were able to produce a total of 803,663 vehicles globally. On the other hand, its domestic production rate increased by 2.6 percent to 395,788 units. From January until November, Toyota made a total of 7.9 million vehicles with 5.7 percent gains. Domestically, its production output rose by 1.2 percent to 3.9 million units.

The Toyota Camry sedan, Corolla and the Prius gas-electric hybrid are very famous paving way for the automaker’s growth. Toyota leads the smaller and fuel efficient vehicle segment which is rarely affected by continuously increasing gas prices and environmental issues.

GM on the other side is increasing its overseas production not to be dethroned by Toyota.

From January until September of 2007, Toyota sales totaled 9.05 million units worldwide while GM sold 9.6 million vehicles. According to figures from each company, Toyota expects a total of 9.36 million sales while Detroit-based GM will sell 9.3 million vehicles.

Second to Toyota as Japan’s largest automaker is Honda Motor Co. (maker of Acura Cl car cover) Honda announced a sales boost of 10.4 percent in November to 363,046 vehicles compared to last year. Honda’s vehicle production outside Japan rose by 20.5 percent to 243, 777 vehicles while its domestic production slumped by 5.7 percent with only 119, 269 vehicles.

Honda’s largest markets are North America and Europe. The automaker said that its production increased by 7.5 percent to 128,364 vehicles and 58.7 percent to 24, 128 units in the two countries respectively.

Nissan Motor Co.’s global production grew by 14.9 percent globally totaling to 335,088 units. In Japan, Nissan’s production gained 16.5 percent, thanks to production gains of the Infiniti G35 sedan, G37 coupe and the new Rogue and X-Trail models.

Global production for Mitsubishi Motors Corp. gained 6.8 percent to 126,851 vehicles; it is the automaker’s ninth consecutive month of production increase. Domestic production is increased by 6.2 percent while production output abroad boosted 7.8 percent.

Ford Motor Co.’s affiliate, Mazda Motor Corp. announced that its overseas production totaled 26,091 vehicles that include its famous Mazda6 and Mazda3 models.