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Volkswagen has overtaken Toyota to become the world’s largest carmaker on units produced, according to the latest set of production figures.

German reports over the weekend quoted the figures from industry analysts Global Insight. The figures said the VW Group manufactured 4.4 million units in the first nine months of 2009 to Toyota’s 4.0m.

European sales set to tumble

Ford was list...Read the full article

Is it me or have the Worlds Biggest Car Maker Charts changed in exactly the same way as the Pop Charts? Once upon a time, you had a number one for months - like that godawful Bryan Adams thing - now all chartoppers last no more than a week or two. Same with cars - GM was number with some godawful cars for decades - now everyone has a go at being top dog.

Not sure what my point is here, incidentally.

I wonder if they'll maintain the lead next year when all scrappage schemes are no more. I think Toyota is very likely to regain the position as the top dog; they have significantly more varied range of cars than the entire VW group, which concentrates on selling basically same cars with different looks. If you look at Toyota range, you can find all kinds of cars - small, large, FWD, RWD, SUVs, genuine ladder-frame offroaders, supercars, hybrids... whereas VW offers Golf wearing all sorts of clothes and badges.

 Largest car MAKER doesn't neccessarilly mean largest car SELLER though... Maybe there are a lot of airfields full of VW's, SEAT's, Skoda's etc...

Ozmosis:

 Largest car MAKER doesn't neccessarilly mean largest car SELLER though... Maybe there are a lot of airfields full of VW's, SEAT's, Skoda's etc...

Don't think so, not judging by all the reports/complaints of long waits for them.

I thought I read a report recently where Hyundai/Kia had overtaken GM and possibly Ford too...?

slipslop:

I thought I read a report recently where Hyundai/Kia had overtaken GM and possibly Ford too...?

In the UK, I think, yes (although it remains to be seen how much of their enormous scrappage boost they retain long term - I expect most of it).  These are global figures.

Lee23404:

Don't think so, not judging by all the reports/complaints of long waits for them.

And probably they wouldn't have posted profit if it were true...

JackB:

Toyota is very likely to regain the position as the top dog; they have significantly more varied range of cars than the entire VW group, which concentrates on selling basically same cars with different looks.

VW sells a much wider range than Toyota, from VW Fox to Bugatti Veyron. They also have many more brands, several of which are hugely more desirable than Toyota/Lexus.

Casanova:

In the UK, I think, yes (although it remains to be seen how much of their enormous scrappage boost they retain long term - I expect most of it).  These are global figures.

Thanks for your reply. But I was referring to world sales. I knew I had seen something about it. A quick Google search lists several reports such as this -

http://www.worldcarfans.com/109081921139/hyundai-kia-passes-ford-as-worlds-4th-largest-automaker

It had, according to those figures, passed Ford but not GM for the first half of 2009 - this is for cars sold, not cars produced. However, there may have been a resurgence at Ford in the second half of 09 which would account for it being ahead of Hyundai-Kia again.

But it's only a matter of time isn't it until Hyundai-Kia are a fixture at or near the top of world sales. Until the Chinese get their act together anyway. And possibly India eventually.

 Excellent news, good to have the best manufacturer in europe at the top were they belong.

noluddite:

JackB:

Toyota is very likely to regain the position as the top dog; they have significantly more varied range of cars than the entire VW group, which concentrates on selling basically same cars with different looks.

VW sells a much wider range than Toyota, from VW Fox to Bugatti Veyron. They also have many more brands, several of which are hugely more desirable than Toyota/Lexus.

Exactly, the VW group have the best range of cars on the market today. FACT.

noluddite:

JackB:

Toyota is very likely to regain the position as the top dog; they have significantly more varied range of cars than the entire VW group, which concentrates on selling basically same cars with different looks.

VW sells a much wider range than Toyota, from VW Fox to Bugatti Veyron. They also have many more brands, several of which are hugely more desirable than Toyota/Lexus.

Yes, the Volkswagen group is much more varied. :-) There's Bugatti, Lamborghini and Bentley at the top with no rival models from the Toyota group.  Lexus is Toyota's version of Audi, but is much smaller (Lexus has 8 models inc. the forthcoming HS, Audi has 13 inc. the A1).  Then you've got Volkswagen and Toyota themselves - direct competitors; and Scion is a rival to SEAT, but is only available in North America.  There are no rivals to sensible Škoda and majority-owned Scania commercial vehicles (supplementing Volkswagen's own big commercial range).

 The only question is...why did it take them so long?  Perhaps it's the price premium of most of Volkswagen groups models...