Toyota Slows Down, But Extends Lead Over GM

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Toyota today announced global production data for September. Worldwide production for Toyota, Daihatsu and Hino was down 5.8 percent in September, which saw Chinese factories closed and sales boycotted. January through September, global production is up 37.6 percent to 7,681,891 units.

September Production and Full Year Forecast9M ’129M ’11YoYProj ’12Toyota7,681,8915,583,32837.6%10,243,000GM6,950,0006,776,0002.5%9,267,000Volkswagen6,710,0006,110,0009.8%8,947,000Based on 3Q company data.Toyota: Production. GM: Sales. VW: Deliveries. Forecast by TTAC

Late Friday, GM spokesman Jim Cain said that his company sold 6.95 million units globally in the 9 months through September, In accordance with OICA methodology, we want the production number, which is used to determine company size. The number will become available with the 3Q report within an few days. We will update our tally when we have the numbers.

In our year-end projection, it looks as if Toyota could still break the 10 million unit barrier. However, with the recent production adjustments, it looks like Toyota will end the year a few units short of 10 millions, but still as the world’s largest carmaker. Speaking of which, OICA, the global umbrella organization of the auto business still hasn’t updated its 2011 rankings.


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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 4 comments
  • Gentle Ted Gentle Ted on Oct 26, 2012

    Today China is boycotting Toyota, soon they will be boycotting the USA, it's a never ending cycle, both over Land issues more or less as China has just shown off there new to China Aircraft Carrier, times never change!

    • Pig_Iron Pig_Iron on Oct 26, 2012

      It's the new class of Type 096 submarines packed with SLBMs, in turn loaded with MIRVs that I'm concerned about. :-(

  • Highdesertcat Highdesertcat on Oct 26, 2012

    I think it is nice that Toyota is making a comeback after all the bad things that happened to them. Toyota has done a lot for America in providing much needed jobs for Americans, building cars for Americans, in America, and plowing much of the profits back in to America. Toyota has affected the lives of thousands of Americans by raising their standard of living, and enriching communities with the taxes Toyota has paid. GM OTOH...................... VW? Well, if you ever owned one of their vehicles in the past, you may want to avoid them like many people avoid GM's vehicles. Reputations are earned the old fashioned way. They worked for them.

  • GarbageMotorsCo. GarbageMotorsCo. on Oct 31, 2012

    That is quite the comeback. For a while it looked like Hyundai was going to be the new Toyota.

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