Once Again, GM is Number 1 as Company Gobbles Market Share

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General Motors (GM) vaulted into the lead for most vehicles sold worldwide in 2011, as Toyota’s awful year pushed it into third place. GM sold 9.03 million vehicles in 2011, 7.6% more than in 2010, the company said today. Chevrolet sales rose to 4.76 million, the highest level ever.

Volkswagen sales came in at 8.16 million, and Toyota’s are expected to be about 7.9 million, the New York Times notes.

The results aren’t a huge surprise, particularly given Toyota’s myriad troubles: the strength of the yen and natural disasters in Japan and Thailand have hurt the company’s supply chain. But they do indicate that GM continues to gain market share around the world. The company said in its release that its market share rose to 11.9%, an increase of four-tenths of a percentage point.



Original Article Source by Barrons.com