Toyota has
dethroned General Motors (GM) as the world's top-selling automaker.
GM was the top-selling carmaker for more than seven decades before losing the title to Toyota in 2008. But GM retook the sales crown in 2011 when Toyota's factories were slowed by an earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
The disaster left Toyota dealers with few cars to sell. The company has since recovered.
Even though both companies saw higher sales in 2012 - GM's global sales were up 2.9 per cent and Toyota rose 22 per cent - the Japanese company has clocked more sales overall.
Toyota sold 9.7 million cars and trucks worldwide in 2012, although it's still counting. GM sold 9.29 million.
Toyota's comeback is only part of the story. It has rolled out new vehicles, such as the revamped midsize Camry, the most popular vehicle in the United States.
GM is also contending with a stronger Volkswagen. It narrowly edged out the fast-growing German company for second place in 2012, when VW sold a record 9.1 million vehicles.
Volkswagen, with fast-selling vehicles like the Passat midsize sedan and Jetta compact, closed in on GM with an 11 per cent sales increase across the globe. The United States, where VW Group sales rose 34 per cent, led the way.
GM has said in the past that it's more concerned with profitable growth than the global sales race.
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