In 2011, the world’s best-selling car manufacturer, Toyota, dropped to third place after a number of natural disasters crippled its production, but the Japanese giant looks set to reclaim the top spot soon.
In a year in which car sales exceeded 80 million units worldwide for the first time in history, Toyota managed to sell 7.4 million units through the first three quarters, followed by General Motors with 6.95 million and Volkswagen Group with 6.9 million units.
Despite the European crisis, the three manufacturers benefited from sales growth in the US and Japan, with an increase of 29 percent and 41 percent respectively for Toyota compared to 2011.
Volkswagen Group though, is not resting on its laurels, and is aiming at Toyota’s seat as the world’s number one automaker by 2018 with a sales target of more than 10 million units.