ID :
13601
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 22:21
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/13601
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Toyota beats GM in Jan.-June global sales
NAGOYA, July 23 Kyodo - Toyota Motor Corp. topped General Motors Corp. of the United States in global auto sales in the January to June period of 2008 with its sales rising 2.2 percent from a year earlier to 4,817,941 units against GM's 4,540,409 units, according to data released Wednesday by the two automakers.
The Toyota figure was a record for the first half of a year, Toyota officials said. GM said its first-half sales were down 2.9 percent from a year earlier.
The Toyota figure, gathered on a preliminary basis, includes sales of motor vehicles made and sold by its group companies -- compact car manufacturer Daihatsu Motor Co. and truck maker Hino Motors Ltd.
Toyota officials attributed the record to good sales in emerging economies such as China and Russia.
Toyota has been vying with GM for the title of the world's largest automaker.
As for sales in January to March this year, Toyota seized top spot on the global sales ranking list, eclipsing GM's sales by about 160,000 units.
Sales at GM, which has been concentrating on gas-guzzling large vehicles, have taken a strong hit from the surge in gasoline prices. Many observers have warned that GM's first-half sales appear to have suffered a serious blow due to its model lineup.
Affected by rising gasoline prices, Toyota's sales have also dwindled in the United States, Japan and elsewhere, but sales in emerging markets were strong in the first half, its officials said.
The automaker's 2.2 percent sales growth in the first half represents a slowdown from the 8 percent surge it enjoyed in the first six months of 2007 over the corresponding period in 2006.
A Toyota executive said Tuesday the company is considering revising downward its group global sales target for 2008 by 350,000 units to around 9.5 million units due to a larger-than-expected fall in U.S. sales.
For the whole of 2007, GM maintained the No. 1 position in global sales with 9,369,524 units, slightly surpassing Toyota, which sold a record 9,366,000 vehicles.
The Toyota figure was a record for the first half of a year, Toyota officials said. GM said its first-half sales were down 2.9 percent from a year earlier.
The Toyota figure, gathered on a preliminary basis, includes sales of motor vehicles made and sold by its group companies -- compact car manufacturer Daihatsu Motor Co. and truck maker Hino Motors Ltd.
Toyota officials attributed the record to good sales in emerging economies such as China and Russia.
Toyota has been vying with GM for the title of the world's largest automaker.
As for sales in January to March this year, Toyota seized top spot on the global sales ranking list, eclipsing GM's sales by about 160,000 units.
Sales at GM, which has been concentrating on gas-guzzling large vehicles, have taken a strong hit from the surge in gasoline prices. Many observers have warned that GM's first-half sales appear to have suffered a serious blow due to its model lineup.
Affected by rising gasoline prices, Toyota's sales have also dwindled in the United States, Japan and elsewhere, but sales in emerging markets were strong in the first half, its officials said.
The automaker's 2.2 percent sales growth in the first half represents a slowdown from the 8 percent surge it enjoyed in the first six months of 2007 over the corresponding period in 2006.
A Toyota executive said Tuesday the company is considering revising downward its group global sales target for 2008 by 350,000 units to around 9.5 million units due to a larger-than-expected fall in U.S. sales.
For the whole of 2007, GM maintained the No. 1 position in global sales with 9,369,524 units, slightly surpassing Toyota, which sold a record 9,366,000 vehicles.
