Volkswagen Surpasses Toyota in Global Auto Sales

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Despite slowdowns in China, Russia and Asia, Volkswagen surpassed Toyota in global auto sales by delivery in the first half of 2015, Automotive News Europe is reporting.

Volkswagen sold 5.04 million cars in the first six months of 2015, compared to 5.02 million for Toyota, according to the report. Sales were down 1.5 percent and 0.5 percent for Toyota and VW respectively.

GM was the third-largest automaker with 4.86 million vehicles.

Volkswagen capitalized on a growing European market to help offset softening Chinese sales. Passenger-vehicle sales fell for the first time in two years in China as that country’s economy responds to market volatility.

Sales slumped in South America, some Southeast Asia markets and sales in Russia have dramatically declined, the story points out.

Deliveries in North America increased by only 4.4 percent, the smallest margin since the economic recovery began in 2009.

The report is the latest in the saga of “Who Wants To Be The World’s Largest Automaker?” with VW on pace to take the crown three years before their executives forecasted. In May, it looked as if VW would take silver thanks to its ongoing leadership shuffle, but a resurgent European market may help. Meanwhile, Toyota may make up ground after a 10-percent gain in China in the first half, according to the report.


Aaron Cole
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  • Romismak Romismak on Jul 28, 2015

    I predicted this close race, but honestly circumstances are way different than i thought. I predicted year ago or so, close 2015 race with growing China, rebounding Europe and recovering South America or at least stagnating, but China is actually declining market for foreign automakers this year - overall market is growing but thanks to domestic chinese brands. South America is still mess and Brazil and Argentina are not even stagnating but still falling down. VW somehow fixed NA results- but still there is so much room for improovement. Europe is rebounding nicely so that helped VW group a lot with their 27% or so market share in EU+EFTA. Russia is still in trouble. Toyota somehow survived Japan´s anticipated market numbers - still better than i thought it would be and Indonesia is surprise after years of amazing results Toyota-Daihatsu with their huge market share there loosing a lot of volume there + Thailand still in crisis. Basically story this year for major automakers has been who can reduce their losses in declining markets.... markets which were engines for automakers growths so far in last few 4-5 years - Brazil, China, Indonesia and some others.

  • Philadlj Philadlj on Jul 28, 2015

    Auto News EUROPE? Biased. GM is Number One in the World, baby, the WORLD!!!

  • Wmba Wmba on Jul 29, 2015

    Here's what Daily Kanban says; http://dailykanban.com/2015/07/toyota-outpaced-by-volkswagen-not-if-you-deduct-ubar/ Fake VW sales in China. In Europe, all manufacturers inflate sales numbers by registering cars at month end at dealer level, then flogging them as lightly used the first of the new month. Toyota sales in Europe amount to the square root of not many, so VW has a leg up in the Big Sales Balls department. Europe leads the world in corporate and organizational corruption - "let's bankrupt Greece and privatize it" by the ESM, and then there's FIFA and the IOC. At least in the US, the DOJ seems to try to tame corruption to a simmering level. In Europe, the legal system is part of the establishment, thus no rocking the boat from them. So all this sales talk by VW is just the sound of big brass balls clanging under striped business pants. GM adds in Wuling van sales for an extra million each year, the full production even though it's a 50:50 JV. Exaggeration or what ... Now what schemes do Toyota pull off? I'd love to know.

  • Mr. Orange Mr. Orange on Jul 29, 2015

    And to think it only took the "resignation" of the guy pushing for VW to be worlds largest, Ferdinand Piech.

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