Toyota is in danger of losing its crown as the world's biggest automaker this year as sales fall behind those of German rival Volkswagen, new figures showed Thursday.
The Japanese giant, which has held the title for four years running, was outsold by Volkswagen in the first half of 2016, as key North American sales fell and disaster-linked factory stoppages hit production.
The Camry and Prius maker sold 4.99 million vehicles in the six months through June, edging down from a year earlier.
Volkswagen sold 5.12 million vehicles globally in the same period, also ahead of third-placed General Motors which moved 4.76 million vehicles.
The German automaker had pulled ahead of Toyota in the first half of 2015 as well, until a massive emissions cheating scandal dented sales.
This year, Toyota saw first-half unit sales fall in North America -- a key market -- while US sales of its popular Prius hybrid fell by one-quarter.
The company was also hit by plant shutdowns linked to deadly earthquakes in Japan earlier this year.
Toyota previously warned that its annual net profit will fall as a stronger yen, and a slowdown in Chinese growth and other emerging markets, dent its bottom line.
Toyota, among other major automakers, has also been struggling to recover a reputation for safety after the recall of millions of cars around the world for various problems, including a deadly exploding air bag crisis at supplier Takata.
In 2008, Toyota broke GM's decades-long reign as the world's top automaker but lost the crown three years later as Japan's 2011 earthquake-tsunami disaster hammered production and disrupted the supply chains of the country's automakers.
In 2012, Toyota again overtook its Detroit rival, which sells the Chevrolet and luxury Cadillac brands, to grab the top spot globally.
AFP
Thu Jul 28 2016
Toyota previously warned that its annual net profit will fall as a stronger yen, and a slowdown in Chinese growth and other emerging markets, dent its bottom line.
Capital A akan jual 100 peratus kepentingan dalam AirAsia Aviation Group, AirAsia dengan harga RM6.8 bilion
Ia memeterai perjanjian jual beli saham bersyarat dengan AAG untuk menjual AAAGL bernilai RM3 bilion manakala AAB dengan harga RM3.8 bilion.
Jawatankuasa RTG pertimbang senaraikan Nurul Izzah dalam program Fast Track RTG
Hannah berkata segala keputusan mengenai program berkenaan akan dibincangkan dan diputuskan bersama jawatankuasa program.
KWSP: Mengimbangi mandat persaraan dan sokongan kelangsungan ekonomi ahli - Pakar
Mohd Afzanizam menegaskan bahawa KWSP bukan satu-satunya organisasi yang bertanggungjawab dari segi menambah baik kehidupan masyarakat.
CAP minta kerajaan pertimbang tubuh Suruhanjaya Amal Malaysia
Mohideen berkata suruhanjaya itu pernah dicadangkan oleh bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pada 2020.
Pos Malaysia yakin catat keputusan kewangan lebih baik di masa hadapan
Ia antara lain menyasarkan pengoptimuman sumber dan mengurangkan risiko berkaitan trend penurunan jumlah mel untuk menyokong pertumbuhan.
SPR India tuntut maklum balas aduan terhadap Modi, Rahul Gandhi
Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya India hari ini memaklumkan pihaknya sudah meminta maklum balas daripada parti pemerintah Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dan parti pembangkang, Kongres.
Penguin maharaja berdepan kepupusan akibat pencairan ais
Spesies penguin terbesar di dunia, penguin maharaja terus berdepan ancaman apabila habitatnya terjejas akibat perubahan iklim. Selain pernah disifatkan bakal pupus menjelang tahun 2050, saintis dari Pusat Penyelidikan British Antarctic Survey pada Khamis memberitahu perubahan iklim memberi kesan terhadap kecairan ais di wilayah beku Antartika yang menjadi habitat buat koloni penguin maharaja.
ANCC2024: Astro, NACSA bekerjasama anjur 'coding challenge'
Diilhamkan daripada komitmen Astro dan NACSA untuk memupuk langkah keselamatan siber yang proaktif, pertandingan itu juga bertujuan untuk menormalisasikan navigasi digital yang selamat dalam ruang siber.
Suhu cecah 42 Celsius, Bangladesh tutup semua sekolah sehingga Sabtu ini
Suhu panas melampau sehingga mencecah 42 Celcius memaksa kerajaan Bangladesh menutup operasi persekolahan yang melibatkan 33 juta pelajar di negara itu.
PM Haiti serah surat peletakan jawatan
Perdana Menteri Haiti, Ariel Henry akhirnya menyerahkan surat peletakan jawatan pada Khamis selepas tidak henti berdepan tekanan antarabangsa bagi mengawal kekacauan kumpulan pengganas di negara itu. Surat rasmi peletakan jawatan yang ditandatangani Ariel Henry diserahkan di Los Angeles dan dikongsi pejabat Perdana Menteri Haiti bersamaan tarikh majlis presiden peralihan ditubuhkan.
Alkaline Ionizer Panasonic sedia air alkali pelbagai fungsi
Produk teknologi itu turut menyediakan air tapis dan air yang mengandungi asid lemah dan diperakui halal.