Toyota's first-half sales top GM's

By Katie Merx • Gannett News Service • July 24, 2008 DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp. beat General Motors Corp. in worldwide sales for the second year in a row during the first half of the year, as sales declines in North America eclipsed record-breaking sales in the world's emerging markets. Toyota on Wednesday reported sales of 4.8 million vehicles through June, up 2 percent from a year ago, and nearly 300,000 units greater than GM's first-half sales. GM reported sales of 4.5 million vehicles in the same period, down 5 percent from a year ago. GM's numbers include the sales of its joint ventures in China. Toyota, which has its North American manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, beat GM by 50,000 units in the first half of 2007. But GM went on to hold onto the title of world's largest automaker for the year, edging out Toyota... [read full story]