GM and Toyota Tie in 2007 Global Auto Sales

Washington DC January 22, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that General Motors Corp. has lost its 76-year claim to sole position as the world's top auto maker, tying with Toyota Motor Corp. in 2007 for the first time.

GM said it sold 9,369,524 million vehicles globally in 2007. Toyota said last week it sold 9.37 million vehicles last year, and noted that more precise figures should be available by month's end.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the tie highlights the divergent paths the two companies are on - Toyota continuing to expand its footprint around the world, notably in the U.S., and GM's domestic sales and market share falling.

A dozen years ago, Toyota's global sales were half that of GM. Toyota grabbed the world's No. 1 spot in the first quarter of 2007, while GM retook the lead after the third quarter by topping Toyota's sales for the middle six months of the year.

GM remains ahead of its Japanese rival in 15 of the world's 20 largest car markets, though forecasts by CSM show Toyota overtaking GM in several of those by 2013.