Toyota Expected To Top GM
Toyota’s production increase threatens GM’s reign as the world’s largest automaker
Toyota Motor Corp. is poised to top General Motors Corp. in global production this year after the U.S. automaker reduced its output plan because of slumping demand for trucks and sport-utility vehicles in the U.S. GM estimates it will build 9.285 million vehicles worldwide in 2007, according to the company’s annual plan announced Tuesday. That compares with Toyota’s plan of 9.42 million vehicles, including those by its Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd. subsidiaries.
GM and Ford are cutting jobs and closing factories as demand for sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks falls amid higher fuel costs. Toyota is now 6,698 sales ahead of Ford through August after trailing by 330,911 after eight months a year earlier. Ford has been No. 2 in the U.S. behind GM since 1931.
