GM Falls Further Behind Toyota in Global Sales on U.S. Declines

[steinravnik]

GM Falls Further Behind Toyota in Global Sales on U.S. Declines

July 23 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Corp. fell further behind Toyota Motor Corp. in global sales during the second quarter as a deteriorating U.S. market damped the Detroit-based automaker's gains in Asia and other emerging markets.

GM said in a statement today it sold 2.29 million vehicles, a 5 percent decrease from a year earlier, in the three months through June 30. The Japanese carmaker said today that its preliminary sales rose 1.8 percent in the period to about 2.41 million.

U.S. sales for GM fell 21 percent during the quarter, while Toyota's dropped 7.8 percent.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...5KM&refer=home

[steinravnik]

Another article on Bloomberg on this:

Toyota's Vehicle Sales Rise 2% on Overseas Demand
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aPbchy0SgNfU

[doh]

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080723/japan_toyota.html?.v=4

Toyota says it sold 4.8M vehicles worldwide in first half, up 2 percent from a year ago


TOKYO (AP) -- Toyota sold more than 4.8 million vehicles worldwide in the first half, up 2 percent from the same period a year earlier, the Japanese automaker said Wednesday.
That exceeded General Motors Corp.'s sales of 4.5 million vehicles in the same period, setting up Toyota to potentially end GM's 76-year run as the world's top automaker by sales.


Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman Hideaki Homma said the company sold 4,817,941 vehicles globally during the first six months of the year.

GM said it sold 4,540,409 vehicles, a decline of 3 percent from the first half of 2007.

The Detroit automaker blamed the decline on economic pressures and labor disruptions in the U.S. market. But GM said it posted record-breaking sales in other regions, including Latin America, Asia and Europe.

Automakers have been struggling lately to maintain sales momentum amid soaring motor fuel prices. Toyota has a reputation for high-mileage cars such as its hit gasoline-electric Prius hybrid, but it is still facing the challenge of sluggish auto markets in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

Expectations have been high that the pace of Toyota's recent global booming sales growth will diminish despite stronger sales in emerging markets, such as India.

Toyota has said it expects to sell 9.85 million vehicles worldwide this year, up 5 percent from last year. But it may lower that target when it updates its strategy next month.

Toyota has been aggressively switching models to boost production of smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles instead of trucks and sport utility vehicles to meet changing consumer tastes.

[unkillsam]

So GM is still on pace to sell over 9 million cars this year? This is why once they can get rid of the stupid losses in NA, they will be a very profitable company.

[jkr2106]

I never want GM to chase market share over profit again, but this news makes me want to go out and buy a GM car. Who's with me?

[Hurricane]

Toyota beats GM in worldwide sales in first half
Wednesday July 23, 9:01 am ET

Toyota beats General Motors in worldwide sales in first half of 2008 as US sales slump


DETROIT (AP) -- Toyota beat General Motors in worldwide sales in the first half of the year.
Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it sold 4.8 million vehicles between January and June, up 2 percent from the same period a year ago. General Motors Corp. says it sold 4.5 million vehicles in the same period, or about 300,000 less than Toyota.

GM says its total sales fell 3 percent in the first half of the year due to economic pressures and labor disruptions in the U.S. market. But the automaker says it posted record-breaking sales in other regions, including Latin America, Asia and Europe.

GM narrowly beat Toyota in total sales last year to retain the title of the world's largest automaker by sales.

More here: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080723/gm_to...ales.html?.v=4

[HoosierRon]

Originally Posted by jkr2106

Who's with me?

Me. I am going to go out today and buy a Flex Fuel Malibu 4 cyl. LTZ with a 5 speed manual. In black on black.

I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as I am back from the dealership!

[The Law]

Who cares about Number 1?
Gm just needs to build cars that are great and win in the market place not by numbers.

[andy82471]

Originally Posted by The Law

Who cares about Number 1?
Gm just needs to build cars that are great and win in the market place not by numbers.

Yes, I agree. Trying to stay No.1 volume wise at any cost will hurt GM's profit and credibility. A profitable GM at No.2 is infinitely better than a money losing GM at No.1

[PA Dweller]

Like people said in the past, if GM is number 2 for awhile maybe people will pick on Toyota more.

[mrgto]

Not to mention it's only for the first half....everyone thought Toyota would overtake GM last year....didn't happen.

[drew770]

In the scheme of things this makes no difference. GM just needs to find and produce what customers need and want so they can return to profitablity.

[drees1]

GM WILL WIN we have tons of new product on it's way soon.

[RamJet502]

I think GM would gladly sacrifice fleet sales to start making money.

[markform]

Originally Posted by The Law

Who cares about Number 1?
Gm just needs to build cars that are great and win in the market place not by numbers.

Who cares about number one?

Just tell that to McCain or Obama.