Toyota Beats GM, VW for 2013 Sales Crown
Toyota sold more vehicle than any other major automaker in 2013, moving 9.98 million vehicles.
The Japanese company saw sales rise two percent in 2013, which was just enough to dwarf the 9.71 million vehicles sold by General Motors. Volkswagen AG has yet to report detailed sales figure, but claims a rounded number of 9.7 million vehicles sold for 2013.
Toyota’s sales encompass the Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands along with Daihatsu minicars and Hino trucks.
Toyota predicted that it would move 10 million units this year, which would have made it the first car maker to sell over 10 million vehicles in a single year.
The brand had its sights set on 10 million long ago, once predicting that it would move 10 million units by 2009, but the economic recession, unintended acceleration recalls and the 2011 earthquake in Japan held Toyota back from its goal.
SEE ALSO: Redesigned Toyota Camry to Ditch Drab Design
Many Toyota products have been undergoing revamps that are meant to ditch the company’s reputation for building boring vehicles at the request of CEO Akio Toyoda. “Toyota has come close to nearly 10 million units a year,” said Toyoda told Automotive News. “But at today’s Toyota, we are not pursuing volume. Going on the offensive means making ever-better cars and changing the way in which we produce cars.”
Toyota’s new TNGA modular architecture is sure to help the brand push past the 10 million mark because it is cheaper to engineer and manufacture. The first TNGA vehicle will arrive next year.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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