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-   -   Toyota - Still the world's biggest car manufacturer (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/international-automotive-scene/173114-toyota-still-worlds-biggest-car-manufacturer.html)

For the fourth consecutive year, Toyota has retained its crown as the world's best selling car manufacturer with cumulative sales of 10.15 million vehicles, in 2015. Despite a 0.8% sales drop compared to 2014, the Japanese car manufacturer stays ahead of Volkswagen and GM, which managed 9.93 million and 9.8 million vehicle sales (respectively) in the same period.

The Toyota Group (including subsidiaries - Daihatsu and Hino Motors) witnessed strong demand in the US, but sales slowed down in South-East Asia and other emerging markets. Its domestic sales fell by 6.5%, while its sales outside the Japanese market rose by 0.9%.

Earlier this year, there were whispers about Suzuki and Toyota planning to collaborate over fuel saving and safety technology, as well as operations in India. However, both companies denied the news. Toyota has also introduced its first mass market hydrogen fuel cell vehicle - Mirai, to tap into the global green car market.

In the first half of 2015, VW inched ahead of Toyota with sales of 5.04 million units vs Toyota's 5.02 million vehicles. However, VW's emission scandal played its part in damaging the company's reputation and its comparatively weak performance (to the overall market) in China - VW's biggest market, led to a global sales drop of 2% in 2015, from 10.137 million vehicles in 2014.



Source: Market Watch

How is it that Volkswagen managed to clock 9.93 million?

• I mean the scandal broke out towards the end of Q2 / start of Q3.
• In the next few weeks after that I was told that the VW market value fell by more than 30%. Would they have otherwise beaten Toyota by a bigger margin like say 0.5 million or something?
• On the contrary, out of 9.93 million, is it not fair to minus the Gas Autos (on a lighter note only) to bring out the actual numbers, so that GM is treated to be at the 2nd position?

Thanks,
C_

VW's Market value fell due to the scandal, but overall sales did not really tank anywhere. If you look at the below, the sales fell only 0.7% as compared to 2014. VW Groups monthly sale in the US (where the scandal broke) is ~40-50K units (In comparison-Ford and GM are each at 200,000). There was a drop in US Sales, but that did not really impact anything. In fact, I think the .7% drop was due to the slowdown in the China market.

Even in India, the numbers did not drop much in spite of the scandal and all the new launches. GTO had specially called this out in his 2015 Sales Analysis.


Source: Focus2Move

It seems that VW is able to control the damage at customer front. The scandal had created ripples across several regions but none seem to have impacted the annual sales of VW.

One can safely assume that the VW brand value (through niche and premium products with group) might have taken a hit, but the kind of cars that the company produces keeps smiles on the driver's face and that is sufficient to contain the damage (outside of the legal battle).

Also, though the scandal broke and company admitted its fault, they never stopped from launching new products in almost all regions including India and if they are able to carry on with this spirit, they will come out of this mess !

Good luck VW.

Right, thanks for the details.:thumbs up

So what does this mean? For all of us, to ponder!

• I have asked this to few of my friends and tried searching on the net too, not much clarity yet! Some of my friends own a VW, and they haven't had any updates from the Dealer or the Company so far.
  
  
• Are people misinformed about what VW did to their so-called clean diesel technology? OR are people ignorant?
  
  
• What about the new launches? Are the bodies like ARAI / SIAM monitoring these new launches? Should steps be taken to ensure that the malpractice is still not prevailing? I mean, so far VW has not come out clearly as to what their stand is to ARAI's findings. And I believe, the case is still on in US and other countries. This means, there is no clear solution that VW has come out with for the current problem. Isn't that worrying?
  
  
• How can a group as big as VW, be lethargic or ignorant in acting upon this OR in re-establishing the trust?

Thanks,
C_

Looking at the chart, does it mean Hyundai-Kia are now bigger than GM?

And they are breathing down the neck of Renault-Nissan who is at number 3!
It's just a matter of time before they take that last step on the podium.