For the second straight year, Volkswagen Group has raced past Toyota Motor to become the world’s largest automaker for the first half of 2016 despite the controversy and on-going investigations involving emissions in their diesel vehicles.
German car manufacturer, Volkswagen has sold 5.12 million vehicles through June 2016 , while Toyota managed nearly as much with 4.99 million vehicles during that same 6-month period. Toyota vehicle sales were down 0.6%, compared to the same period last year, while VW sales were up 1.5%.
But it remains to be seen whether VW will manage to keep the sales up for the next six months and win the title for the complete year of 2016. In 2015, they lost out sales in the fourth quarter, after company testified to rigging the software in 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide to cheat emissions certifications. But the loss was largely contained to the United States., one of VW’s smaller markets, where its sales fell 7.2% for the first half of 2016. In other parts of the globe, such as Europe and China, VW sales rose 3.8% and 6.8%, respectively.
Also, Toyota’s production was restricted in April by the earthquake in Japan’s Kumamoto prefecture and it is very possible that Toyota will claw back some ground.
For years, VW has targeted 2018 as its goal for becoming the world’s largest auto manufacturer and it will be interesting to see whether they achieve it a year before what was planned. On the other end, Toyota has held the title for four consecutive years after taking the throne from General Motors.
Also in the race is GM, which is now the world’s third-largest automaker.
