Volkswagen reported a 7.2 percent increase to 3.31 million cars and trucks, putting it a ahead of Ford as the world’s third-largest automaker by vehicle sales in the first of 2008. FoMoCo sales fell a total of 11 percent to 3.09 million. Ford lost its no.2 spot to Toyota in 2003.

Due to a significant drop in pickups and SUVs and high gas-prices Ford’s U.S. sales fell 14 percent. Its reporting excluded the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors.

Toyota moved ahead of GM in worldwide sales during the first half of 2008. Global production increased 1% to 741,873 units in June. However, the Japanese automaker dropped its 2008 sales outlook to 9.5 million vehicles from 9.85 million.

Source: Free Press