Toyota tops GM in total 2006 global sales,
also has sold more than 1 million hybrids

Image above, hybrid between a Lion and a Tiger….. A Liger

Last week, Toyota officially became the largest auto manufacturer in the world, edging out General Motors by a few vehicles. In 2006, Toyota sold 8,808,000 vehicles, and GM sold 8,679,860, ending U.S. automaker’s reign as number one.
A little-known Chinese microvan played a role in Toyota’s victory. GM had included the boxy, seven-seat van and other Wuling vehicles in its global total sales. But a Chinese company, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), owns 51 percent of the van’s joint-venture manufacturer, SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Company. In its ranking, the Automotive News’ data center credits sales of a subsidiary to the parent company that owns a majority share. So the sales of Wuling – 420,140 units – are credited to Shanghai Automotive. And Toyota topped GM by 128,140 vehicles.
Also last week, Toyota officials said that it has sold more than 1 million hybrid vehicles since 2000, with more than one-half of those sold in the United States. And the pace is increasing.
“We anticipate combined sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids of a quarter million units in the Untied States in 2007,” said Jim Lentz, Toyota’s executive vice president.
Through May 2007, Toyota and Lexus sold 117,154 hybrid vehicles, a jump of 73.8 percent from the same period a year ago. (Automotive News)