VW is world's second-best-selling automaker, GM falls to third
Thu, 30 Jan 2014Every year when we start talking about which automaker is the biggest in the world, there always seems to be at least a little bit of controversy. For 2013, Toyota handily took the top spot with 9.98 million sales, but it's the runner up spot between General Motors and Volkswagen that is starting to create a stir.
Based on our earlier report, GM's 9.71 million vehicles put it in second place ahead of VW's 9.5-million-vehicle effort. Now, The Detroit News is reporting that VW is claiming a tally of 9.73 million sales, including figures from MAN and Scania – heavy-duty truck divisions under the VW AG family. The article points out that Toyota's sales figure includes its Hino line of trucks, but these might still be considered light-duty vehicles while MAN and Scania build tractor trailers.
By Jeffrey N. Ross
See also: Camry, Avalon Hybrids involved in stop-sale of 50,000 Toyota vehicles, Toyota issues stop sale on 6 key models over seat fabrics; recall possible? [UPDATE], Toyota Tells Dealers To Stop Selling Six Models.