Toyota Widens Lead Over GM in Global Sales

Toyota Motor Corp. sold 2.43 million vehicles worldwide in the quarter ended Sept. 30, including its Daihatsu and Hino subsidiaries, up 18% from a year earlier.

In the first nine months of 2012, Toyota's volume jumped 28% year over year to 7.40 million cars and trucks 450,000 units more than General Motors Co. sold. Toyota outsold its American rival by about 300,000 vehicles in the first half of this year.

GM boosted global volume 2% to 2.28 million vehicles in the third quarter, thus bringing its January-September total to 6.95 million units, a 3% increase from a year earlier.

Volkswagen AG hiked sales 13% to 2.30 million passenger and commercial vehicles in the July-September period for a nine-month tally of 6.90 million units.

Last year Toyota fell to third place in global sales behind GM and VW after natural disasters in Asia disrupted the Japanese automaker's operations. Despite its plunging sales in China this autumn, Toyota expects its volume this year to easily surpass the company's previous record of 9.37 million vehicles in 2007.