Toyota overtakes VW in sales
Toyota has retaken to the top spot in global vehicle sales after releasing figures for the first nine months of the year.
The Japanese firm sold 7.5 million in the first three quarters of 2015, beating Volkswagen’s 7.43 million and General Motors’ 7.2 million.
After the first six months of the year, VW overtook Toyota for the first time, however VW’s emissions scandal emerged towards the end of September.
The discovery of software that was able to mislead emissions tests on diesel cars may have a greater effect on VW’s sales in the remainder of the year.
Toyota’s sales for the first nine months were 1.5% below the level at the same stage last year.
Toyota first overtook GM to take the top slot in 2008 and has kept it every year since, except 2011 when GM was the top seller after a tsunami in north-eastern Japan disrupted Toyota’s production.
