General Motors: Number 1 in the world!

Days ago, we brought you a story of Volkswagen pipping Toyota to the post in global sales, to take the top spot. The only fly in the ointment was that Amercian behemoth General Motors hadn’t come up with its 2011 sales figures yet. Now that the General is here with the 2011 sales figures, all doubts are dispelled as to who rules the roost when it comes to clocking the highest sales in 2011. The title of the world number 1 now goes to General Motors, a sales race title that General Motors lost to Toyota in 2008. In fact, this was expected as General Motors beat Toyota hollow even in the half yearly sales in the first half of 2011.

General Motors Logo

While 2010 saw Toyota besieged by a series of recalls, 2011 was even worse, with a spate of natural catastrophes affecting production and consequently sales. So, a few extraneous factors have been responsible for Toyota losing the number 1 spot but even so, full credit to General Motors for such a strong comeback after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection during the height of the global recession of 2009. General Motors’ sales recovery has been led by a focus on the emerging markets, smaller cars and higher fuel economy, all of which has translated into success at the hustings.

Toyota Motor Corporation Logo

In 2012 though, Toyota could turn tables as it has almost recovered from the production losses of 2011, a fact that was largely responsible for losing the number 1 crown. The new 2012 Camry is Toyota’s big bet, even as the car could come under plenty of pressure from a rash of new launches like a steadily growing Volkswagen Passat, the resurgent 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2013 Ford Fusion. Even as GM celebrates its success of the top spot, caution is the name of the game that the profitability or bottom line of the business is much more important than market share or the top line of the business.

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