Toyota pulls ahead of GM in the 1st quarter

GM’s global sales fell 1 percent in the first quarter of 2008, enough to put the General in second place as Toyota takes the lead. Toyota sold a total of 2.41 million vehicles in the first quarter while GM lagged behind with 2.25 million cars and trucks.

Toyota was also ahead of GM in the first quarter of 2007, but GM had pulled itself ahead by the end of the year selling a total of 9,369,524 units globally in 2007, while Toyota managed to sell 9.366 million. The gap between the two was about 3,000 vehicles.

GM sales outside the U.S. accounted for 64 percent. The Asia Pacific region was up 6 percent while Latin America, Africa and Middle East were up close to 20 percent. European sales hit a record high of 3 percent.

Sales in the North American auto industry have been the slowlest in more than a decade, down 10 percent.

Source: Detroit News

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