With the sales figures from all major automakers available for the first three quarters of the year, ToyotaToyotaJapan, 1937 > present155 models
4570 photos
10 videos
has kept its title as the world’s largest automaker in unit sales with three months of auto sales to go. General MotorsGMUnited States of America, 1998 > present8 models
240 photos
and Volkswagen GroupVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
9654 photos
31 videos
round out the top three.

Toyota sold 2.5 million cars in the third quarter, which runs from July to September, a 2.8% increase from the third quarter of 2012. General Motors sold 2.4 million cars in Q3, up 5.5%. Volkswagen Group, excluding its commercial truck brands, sold 2.33 million cars.

From January through September, Toyota has sold 7.41 million cars worldwide; GM has sold 7.25 million and VW has sold 7.03 million.

The strong performance for Toyota is being partially attributed to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who has weakened the yen compared to world currencies to make Japanese products less expensive.

Toyota is on track to have record profits for the fiscal year, and its share prices in Japan are the highest in the last five years.

HondaHondaJapan, 1948 > present102 models
2419 photos
10 videos
, NissanNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
6957 photos
12 videos
and SubaruSubaruJapan, 1953 > present34 models
1174 photos
6 videos
are also seeing foreign sales gains thanks to the lower prices.

Japanese brands are also becoming more competitive in China where diplomatic problems between the two nations had previously benefited GM and Volkswagen.

Toyota sold 220,000 cars in China from July to September, up 11%. VW sold over 800,00 cars, and GM sold 745,026 cars in China.

While Toyota certainly has the momentum, GM has a product blitz in North America this fall, and VW continues to add factories in China. Toyota’s position as the top global automaker is not assured through the end of the year.

Source: Automotive News