Despite several reports to the contrary (including our own), Toyota is in fact still the world’s largest automaker.

Just last week it was announced by several news agencies that Volkswagen had taken over the top spot, having come from as far back as fourth just over a year ago, to quickly pass Ford, General Motors and then Toyota. Those reports, however, have no proved worth interpreting, as have the sales numbers.

The numbers did show VW with a total of 4.4 million units made, while Toyota managed “just” 4.2 million units for the first three quarters of 2009. Volkswagen’s numbers, however, included vehicles sold by other automakers that it owns part of – but not a controlling share. Volkswagen does not release a breakdown.

Toyota, on the other hand, does, and the 4. 2 million total is entirely made up of the Japanese automaker’s products. If Toyota were also to include sales for companies that it owns a minority share in, its total would then be 4.9 million units.

[Source: Automotive News via LeftLaneNews]

Toyota’s reign at the top was a short one. Year-to-date sales by manufacturer now list Volkswagen as the world’s largest automaker. So far for 2009, Volkswagen has a combined sales tally of 4.4 million units – 400,000 ahead of Toyota.

Volkswagen’s tremendous rise from as far back as fourth place just a year ago, was driven on by the worldwide recession, which saw automakers like General Motors and Toyota lose ground. Toyota suffered significantly in the U.S., much more so than Volkswagen, due in part to VW’s small exposure in the North American marketplace. A generous cash-for-clunkers stimulus package that was put into place in Germany early on, also helped, as did a new line of vehicles for the Chinese marketplace.

But that’s not the only reason for Volkswagen’s success in 2009. Having recently purchased (or merged with, if you prefer) Porsche, Germany’s largest automaker now gets to include all the sales figures of Germany’s most renowned sports car maker.

It remains to be seen if Volkswagen will hold on to the title once all the vehicles are tallied-up at the end of the year. Volkswagen has not released a projected total, but Toyota has forecasted a final number of 7 million units.

[Source: The Guardian]

If Q1 results are any indication, VW may overtake Toyota as the number one car manufacturer by sales in 2009, and this comes before the German automaker starts selling its new sixth-generation Golf.

Just a few weeks ago we reported that industry research firm R.L. Polk predicted  Volkswagen would overtake General Motors as the world’s second-largest automaker in 2009. While not entirely a surprise, what is shocking news is that VW may actually claim the number one spot, limiting Toyota’s run at the top to just one year.

The news comes as first quarter sales figures begin to trickle in. Volkswagen sold roughly 1.39 million vehicles during Q1 for 2009, this compares to Toyota’s forecasted figure of 1.23 million vehicles.

The worldwide economic downturn is as much to blame for Toyota’s poor fortunes, as it is to credit for VW’s good ones. Toyota’s forecast is down 47 percent from Q1 last year, while VW managed to gain market share despite an overall decrease in sales. VW’s Q1 results give the company  an 11 percent market share worldwide.

“Volkswagen has the luck of being strong in the markets that are currently growing, while Toyota is exposed to those that are collapsing,” Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, head of the Center for Automotive Research in Gelsenkirchen told Automotive News.

While Toyota has been exposed to the most troubled international markets, Volkswagen has not – due in part to its relatively small share of the U.S. market. Volkswagen can also thank strong sales in China and Brasil, as well as right at home in Germany – thanks to strong incentive programs by both VW and the German government. In Germany during Q1, car sales actually increased by 4.5 percent.

During the first quarter of 2008, VW sold just 1.57 million vehicles, as compared to Toyota’s 2.41 million, and with numbers like that it’s no wonder just a year ago VW’s claim of becoming the world’s largest automaker by 2018 seemed like a pipe-dream. A worldwide recession certainly can change things.

[Source: Automotive News]