Toyota, Still World’s Biggest Automaker In 2010

For the third year in a row, Toyota stays the biggest automaker in the world in 2010, too, followed closely by General Motors and Volkswagen.

Even though they didn’t had the best start in 2010 and faced endless series of recalls, Toyota manages to stay in the top of the biggest car builders in the world, for the third year in a row.

The Japanese giant registered a drop in sales on the US market, but they sold a lot better on the emergent markets and took advantage from the raise registered in China. The biggest car market in the world brought a 19% raise for Toyota, a raise inferior to GM rival, who had 29%.

Throughout 2010, with their premium brand, Lexus, and the affiliated companies, Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, Toyota managed to tick a global raise of 8%. Given these conditions, Toyota may boast about 8.42 million units sold globally in 2010.

The runner-up, but not very far behind, was the eternal rivals of General Motors, that managed to sold 8.39 million cars world wide, 12% more compared to 2009. The Americans had a positive evolution on the US market (2.22 million units sold), where Toyota dropped 0.4%, selling only 1.76 million cars.

The podium was completed by the biggest European automaker, Volkswagen, that managed to sell not less than 7.14 million vehicles in 2010, registering a 14% raise.

Christian Klingler, Volkswagen Sales Department Manager, said that they estimate a 5% raise for 2011. The same happens with Toyota, announcing a raise for 2010, with a 8.6 million cars sold goal for next year.