GM and Toyota nearly tied for global sales title

Reuters
January 23, 2008 - 9:05 am ET

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors on Wednesday reported total global sales
of 9.37 million vehicles in 2007, coming in neck-and-neck with Japanese
rival Toyota Motor Corp.

GM said its global sales rose 3 percent from a year earlier to sales of
9,369,524 vehicles, driven by strong growth in regions outside North
America.

Toyota, which was expected to have surpassed GM as the world's largest
automaker, said on Jan. 10 that it sold 9.37 vehicles in 2007, but did not
detail the figure further. It is expected to do so later this month.

"We set a record in China with more than a million vehicles sold. We nearly
doubled our sales in Russia to an all-time record of more than 258,000
vehicles delivered. And we set a record in Brazil with nearly a half-million
vehicles sold," John Middlebrook, GM vice president of global sales, service
and marketing, said in a prepared statement today.

"This is the kind of emerging market growth that fuels our global
performance. Customers are responding to our fuel-efficient and
dynamically-designed product lineup around the world."

GM said the 2007 results were the second best global sales total in the
company's 100-year history. It was the third consecutive year with more than
9 million vehicles sold.

Hi!

> Toyota, which was expected to have surpassed GM as the world's largest
> automaker, said on Jan. 10 that it sold ***9.37*** vehicles in 2007

Must not have been a good year. Although I wonder if whoever got that .37th
of a vehicle got a good deal on it!

:-)

William

We call it: Toyota topped GM in 2007

DETROIT -- General Motors had a solid year in 2007, with global sales up 1.9
percent from 2006. But it is now the world's second-largest automaker.

GM slipped well behind Toyota Motor Corp. in global sales. GM sold 8,885,599
total vehicles in 2007, while Toyota says it sold an estimated 9,370,000.
Toyota will issue an official total in about a month.

It was widely reported this week that the two automakers finished in a dead
heat for the No. 1 spot. Here is why: GM includes in its total 516,435
vehicles of the Wuling brand in China.

But GM owns only 34 percent of the Chinese company that produces Wuling
vehicles, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp., a major automaker in China, owns 50.1
percent of SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.

Automotive News follows industry practice by including sales of only
majority-owned subsidiaries in an automaker's global total. For instance,
sales of Mazda Motor Corp. are not included in Ford Motor Co.'s total
because Ford owns 33.4 percent of Mazda.

So Automotive News subtracts Wuling-brand sales from GM's reported total,
arriving at 8,885,599.

million?, billion? only diffence is a m or b
"Ed White" <cewhite3@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:13pfvef90c8foc0@corp.supernews.com...
> Update -
>
> GM reports 9.369 billion sales to Toyota's 9.366 billion
>
>
> DETROIT -- General Motors today reported global sales of 9.369 million
> vehicles in 2007, a total that would place it just ahead of Toyota Motor
> Corp.
>
> GM said its global sales rose 3 percent from a year earlier to 9,369,524
> vehicles, driven by strong growth in markets outside North America.
>
> Toyota, which was expected to have surpassed GM as the world's largest
> automaker, said on Jan. 10 that it sold 9.37 million vehicles in 2007 but
> did not detail the figure further. A Toyota source told Reuters today the
> automaker finished with about 9.366 million in sales, just short of GM.
>
> The close race might come down to how vehicles made by an obscure GM
> partnership in China are counted. Last year the Automotive News Data
> Center deducted vehicles from SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co. from the GM
> total because SAIC is majority owner of the partnership.
>
> GM said the 2007 results were the second-best global sales total in its
> 100-year history. It was the third straight year with more than 9 million
> vehicles sold.
>
> Record sales overseas
>
> " We set a record in China with more than a million vehicles sold. We
> nearly doubled our sales in Russia to an all-time record of more than
> 258,000 vehicles delivered. And we set a record in Brazil with nearly a
> half-million vehicles sold," John Middlebrook, GM vice president of global
> sales, service and marketing, said in a statement today.
>
> " This is the kind of emerging market growth that fuels our global
> performance. Customers are responding to our fuel-efficient and
> dynamically designed product lineup around the world."
>
> The virtual tie comes at a time when Toyota has been growing in the United
> States -- the world's largest market for vehicle sales -- while GM's
> domestic sales have been slipping. But GM has been increasing market share
> outside the United States, where sales accounted for 59 percent of its
> total.
>
> Since 1998, GM's global sales have grown at an average annual rate of
> about 1.5 percent, while Toyota's growth rate has been five times that.
>
> GM's sales in North America -- its largest market -- fell 6.1 percent in
> 2007. Sales in the Asia Pacific region rose 15.1 percent led by China,
> while sales in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East rose 19.4
> percent, driven by Brazil. Sales in Europe rose 8.9 percent.
>
> Sales outside the United States were 5.5 million units.
>
> Too close to call
>
> Mike DiGiovanni, GM's executive director of global product planning, said
> in a morning conference call with analysts and reporters that the race
> with Toyota is too close to call.
>
> " We're just focused on putting our nose down and trying to do a good job,
> serving our customers and making the best products that we can. I don't
> think anyone knows -- we don't know" who won.
>
> DiGiovanni said GM is in it to win, but it is more important to run the
> business profitably and not " get into trouble with too many fleet orders"
> and big incentive sales.
>
> " We think we're doing the right things to remain No. 1, and we're in it
> for the long run," DiGiovanni said.
>
> But GM's future growth is not in North America or Europe, he said. Growth
> is in Latin America, Asia, eastern Europe and developing countries. GM is
> focusing its growth efforts in those regions this year, while it continues
> to defend the traditional markets, DiGiovanni said.
>
> " We're hitting on all cylinders across the globe," DiGiovanni said.
>
> Product mix won't change
>
> Globally, GM's product mix will not change much this year from 2007,
> DiGiovanni said. GM will remain capacity constrained in China and Brazil,
> but it sees growth opportunities in both regions.
>
> In Europe, GM plans to supplement its Opel brand by adding Chevrolet
> products. GM's strategy to improve Saab's sales includes a new crossover
> concept -- the 9-4X -- that debuted at the Detroit auto show.
>
> " Saab will have a new crossover that will help them in conquesting new
> customers," DiGiovanni said. " We anticipate that will do well for them
> worldwide. We're very optimistic about that vehicle. It's a real
> opportunity for them."
>
> GM also will integrate Saab products into more GM platforms, he said. That
> will help lower Saab's pricing and increase content on Saab vehicles,
> making them more competitive.
>
> In North America, GM's focus is on stabilizing its retail share,
> DiGiovanni said. The big push this year will be on the new Cadillac CTS
> and Chevrolet Malibu sedans to improve GM's sales in the mid-sized car
> category.
>
> GM has other new products coming this year -- the Chevrolet Traverse
> crossover and the Pontiac G8 sedan. Those will help lift GM's U.S. sales
> too, he said. GM does not anticipate a big slide in U.S. truck sales.
>
> " In the U.S. and North America, we raised our oil price forecast
> internally about three months ago to be more aligned with what the prices
> are currently," DiGiovanni said.
>
> " So while we see some slight decline in truck sales, it's not much
> because they've been replaced by crossovers, which are in the truck
> category. When I look on balance, there'll probably be some slight
> increase in car growth worldwide vis-a-vis truck growth, but I wouldn't
> see a significant shift."
>
> GM leaders remain optimistic that the United States will experience growth
> in gross domestic product in the second half of the year. That, combined
> with the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates should help the country
> avoid a recession. DiGiovanni would not release GM's sales forecast for
> 2008.
>
> Reuters contributed to this report
>

coachrose13@hotmail.com wrote:

<...>

> So now we are down to a "numbers" game as to whom is the largest
> automible company???

When has it not been a numbers game?

<coachrose13@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:197995aa-b6db-4995-8036-5f64e92cfab3@p69g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
<snipped

Just wondering:



There are a lot of reports as to how well GM is doing as far as sells
in China, Europe, Russia and South America.



How are there sales in Japan????



Surely GM sells, or allowed to sell (FARELY) automoblies in Japan,
just as the Japanese are allowed to do so in the US!


Surely?????????????????

************
Surely. GM sells Cadillacs, Hummers, Opels, Saabs, and Chevys in Japan. In
2006, GM sales in Japan were a little over 12,600 vehicles.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

Ray O wrote:
> <coachrose13@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:197995aa-b6db-4995-8036-5f64e92cfab3@p69g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> <snipped
>
> Just wondering:
>
>
>
> There are a lot of reports as to how well GM is doing as far as sells
> in China, Europe, Russia and South America.
>
>
>
> How are there sales in Japan????

Minimal. None of the US automakers sell much in Japan, except Mazda,
which is controlled by Ford, but mostly owned by the Japanese.

> Surely GM sells, or allowed to sell (FARELY) automoblies in Japan,
> just as the Japanese are allowed to do so in the US!
>
>
> Surely?????????????????
>
> ************
> Surely. GM sells Cadillacs, Hummers, Opels, Saabs, and Chevys in Japan. In
> 2006, GM sales in Japan were a little over 12,600 vehicles.

If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale


"Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
news:KP-dncO19pveJAfanZ2dnUVZ_h-vnZ2d@comcast.com...
>
> <coachrose13@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:197995aa-b6db-4995-8036-5f64e92cfab3@p69g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> <snipped
>
> Just wondering:
>
>
>
> There are a lot of reports as to how well GM is doing as far as sells
> in China, Europe, Russia and South America.
>
>
>
> How are there sales in Japan????
>
>
>
> Surely GM sells, or allowed to sell (FARELY) automoblies in Japan,
> just as the Japanese are allowed to do so in the US!
>
>
> Surely?????????????????
>
> ************
> Surely. GM sells Cadillacs, Hummers, Opels, Saabs, and Chevys in Japan.
> In 2006, GM sales in Japan were a little over 12,600 vehicles.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
>

"Mike hunt" <mikehunt22@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:w6udnR_BbsmdHwbanZ2dnUVZ_oytnZ2d@ptd.net...
> "Ray O" <rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom> wrote in message
> news:KP-dncO19pveJAfanZ2dnUVZ_h-vnZ2d@comcast.com...
>>
>> <coachrose13@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:197995aa-b6db-4995-8036-5f64e92cfab3@p69g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
>> <snipped
>>
>> Just wondering:
>>
>>
>>
>> There are a lot of reports as to how well GM is doing as far as sells
>> in China, Europe, Russia and South America.
>>
>>
>>
>> How are there sales in Japan????
>>
>>
>>
>> Surely GM sells, or allowed to sell (FARELY) automoblies in Japan,
>> just as the Japanese are allowed to do so in the US!
>>
>>
>> Surely?????????????????
>>
>> ************
>> Surely. GM sells Cadillacs, Hummers, Opels, Saabs, and Chevys in Japan.
>> In 2006, GM sales in Japan were a little over 12,600 vehicles.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>>
> If you believe that, I have a bridge for sale
>
>
The sales figures I posted were from GM's web site. Are you saying that
GM's web site does not provide credible information?
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

<coachrose13@hotmail.com> wrote in message

12,600 GM vehicles sold in Japan in '06??? ONLY 12600????? Against
how many MILLION Japaneses vehicles sold in the US during the same
time period?


> Something doesn't seem right here.


> Does Japan believe in, and more importantly, practice FREE TRADE???


That surprises you? Look at the numbers on TV's, cameras, stereo equipment,
toasters, and on and on. It has nothing to do with free trade, everything
to do with cost and ability. Yes, there are other factors on the automobile
though, such as no room for big cars.