Is Second Place All That Bad? GM Down Plays Loss Of Number One Spot To Toyota

Is Second Place All That Bad? GM Down Plays Loss Of Number One Spot To Toyota
General Motors lost the title of world's largest automaker to rival Toyota Motor in 2008, according to sales figures released Wednesday by the troubled U.S. automaker. It was the first time in nearly 80 years that GM did not sell the most cars in the world.

GM reported that global sales plunged 10.8% for the year to 8.36 million vehicles. That allowed Toyota to move ahead of GM with sales of 8.97 million vehicles worldwide.

GM executives tried to play down the significance of the company losing the title it had held for 77 years.



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BigShow50BigShow50 - 1/21/2009 12:47:33 PM
+1 Boost
GM is lucky that their subsidary brands acutally did quite well outside U.S....otherwise they would be singing a much crappy tunes in terms of global numbers...Too bad, but it had to happend sometime!


XYZZXYZZ - 1/22/2009 6:42:19 AM
+2 Boost
since toyota started actually making profits on the prius, rather than accepting small (?) losses on each unit, i don't believe there is a single model on which they lose money. now that they sell more than anyone else, and actually MAKE MONEY on each sale, it's no wonder they are rolling in dough! (current temporary operating loss notwithstanding.)


dumpstydumpsty - 1/21/2009 1:34:11 PM
+2 Boost
Only those who make it to 1st place actually realize that 2nd place isn't really bad at all. Now, as Toyota takes the top sales spot, it'll have to duck all the "evil huge auto giant" flack that GM historically took. Being a smaller competitor is where the success is at, in today's financial environment. And a much smaller firm can do more and provide higher levels of quality. That's basically how Toyota Corp rose to its perceived levels.




XYZZXYZZ - 1/22/2009 6:57:33 AM
+2 Boost
this is a gross oversimplification. if it were true, honda would be much more "successful" than toyota. and any of microsoft's competitors should also be more successful. but honda is not. (altho they do do well.) and MS's rivals are not. having deep, DEEP pockets for development gives a HUGE advantage over rivals. the ONLY thing in your statement that's true, is that whoever is #1 is a bigger target for sniping, whining, and complaining about.


hk4sitehk4site - 1/21/2009 3:14:54 PM
0 Boost
GM can not make money on car, just truck and suv's.


Type707Type707 - 1/22/2009 2:48:52 AM
-1 Boost
Not suprising that Toyota is on the number one spot. There were many factors that tarnished the GM name. The high cost of fuel for one and GM only stuck with one agenda: Trucks and SUv's


tangotango - 1/22/2009 9:59:23 AM
+1 Boost
Toyota's rise to the top can only man one thing. A fall to the lower ranks later. IF, of course, the current trend of cost-cutting that they are on does not stop. Toyota needs to stop trying to compete with the Koreans and accept its space as a line of vehicles that people are willing to pay a little bit more for that extra level of reliability and security. Recent models have not lived up well to that reputation, and sadly, I was victim of Toyota cost-cutting, an experience that I am not likely to repeat. I'd buy the GM model in any category before I even considered the equivalent Toyota.
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