Daihatsu could catapult Toyota to topple GM as world''s largest carmaker
18 Dec 2006
Japan''s auto firm Daihatsu, which specialises in small engine cars, plans to cash in the demand for small cars brought by high fuel prices.
It has chalked out a major sales push that could actually help Toyota Motor Corp, its parent, overtake the world''s top car firm, General Motors.
In November, Toyota led Ford Motor Co, the world''s No 2 carmaker, in US vehicle sales and is viewed as a challenger to GM''s supremacy.
The world''s largest automaker GM registered the highest sales growth of 293,558 vehicles or 6.1 per cent in the US in November 2006 over its sales in November 2005 - the highest sales by volume, which took its market share to 24.5 per cent.
On the other hand, Toyota''s sales rose to 196,695 vehicles a 15.9-per cent. Daihatsu expects to sell more than 1 million vehicles more than what it sold last year - a sales increase of nearly 5.5 per cent. As oil prices have risen, Daihatsu has benefited from the growing demand for more fuel-efficient, small cars.
The combined car manufacture planned for 2007 is 9.45 million vehicles.
Daihatsu recent remodelled its flagship Move mini car and is also launching an updated version of its popular Mira model.
In Japan car maker Suzuki curretly leads Daihatsu in sales.