GM's global sales slip further behind Toyota's

In news that came as a shock to nobody, General Motors' global sales slipped further behind Toyota's  in the third quarter. After decades of worldwide sales leadership, it seems nigh inevitable that the General will cede the crown to its Japanese rival at the end of the year.

In the third quarter, GM sold 2.1 million vehicles worldwide, an 11.4% decline from the same period last year. So far in 2008, GM has sold 6.7 million cars and light trucks, a 5.8% decline from 2007.

By comparison, Toyota, which released its global sales figures Friday, sold 2.24 million cars in the third quarter, a 4% decline from the same period a year ago, and 7.05 million so far this year, essentially the same level its sales were at at this point in 2007.

Last year, GM pulled out a late victory, selling scarcely 3,000 more vehicles than Toyota worldwide, but that lead quickly evaporated and GM has trailed all year.

According to GM, total worldwide automotive sales for the third quarter reached 16.2 million, which the company said is down about 1 million from the nine-month total in 2007. With U.S. sales down 1.6 million units through September, clearly much of the blame lies in the fatherland.

Indeed, sales outside North America for GM were up 164,000 units, while North American sales were down 18.9%.

GM might want to set about revising its company description statement, which says: GM, "the world's largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years."

-- Ken Bensinger

Photo: GM Chairman Rick Wagoner and Fujio Cho, chairman of Toyota Motor Corp.

Courtesy of General Motors

Comments

[Jean Louis]

We have enough trouble without adding a GM trouble on the road ?
That's why we want a Toyota.
Period.

[GM are doomed]

GM are doomed GM are doomed GM are doomed GM are doomed GM are doomed GM are doomed GM are doomed

[Sonny]

While everybody is flogging GM management for incompetence - did anybody consider the National Security interests of GM and it’s suppliers going under??? Should we enter in to another major World Wide conflict - who is going to make the trucks and vehicles used in a conventinal war. Last time I looked - no General or Field Marshall is going to be caught riding around in a PRIUS in a WAR ZONE !!!

[Samantha]

Good Point about security. Maybe China came come though in a pinch? Except they probably will be the first to strike us. I guess without an industrial ablity to wage a conventional war we can just go nuclear. So problem solved.

[Dion Kraft from Paramount, CA]

The two statements are from real MORONS! What do vehcles used in a war have to do with global vehicle sales!

[Becca Clarren]

Me thinks this reporter doth protest too much. You a former GM employee or something? Toyota manufactures many of the cars they sell in the U.S. Got a problem with that? Go back to your hole in Detroit or figure out that we're in a global economy where global companies are going to play.