General Motors reclaimed the title of world’s biggest carmaker title in 2011 after Toyota production was reduced as a result of the 11 March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Thai floods late in the year, effects of which are still ongoing.
GM’s tally was 9.03m sales worldwide, up 7.6% year on year. North American sales rose 11.4% to to 2.9m, European sales were up 4.4% and, in South America, 3.9% growth was booked.
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The Chevrolet brand alone sold 4.76m world-wide in 2011, setting a global sales record, the automaker said. GM sales were up in all four reporting regions – North America, South America, Europe and ‘International Operations’ – as GM sold a total of 9,025,942 vehicles compared with 8,385,484 in 2010.
The US also led the way for Chevrolet with total vehicle sales of 1,775,812 up over 13%. China posted record sales of 595,068, up 9.5% from the previous year. Other markets that posted significant increases included Vietnam (79%), Russia (49%), Turkey (30%) and Germany (21%).
The Cruze compact sedan led the Chevrolet brand with global sales of more than 670,000 in 2011.
Toyota’s 2011 sales, including Lexus, fell 6% to 7m, according to provisional data released at the end of December cited by news agency AFP.
Including Hino and Daihatsu, Toyota’s overall sales were 7.9m.
If confirmed, the firm would come in thirdbehind Volkswagen.
VW Group, including Audi, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini, has said it sold 8.15m units in 2011, up 14%.
Toyota’s 2012 sales target for Toyota and Lexus vehicles is 8.48m plus nearly 9m by 2013.
