With the end of 2016 just around the corner, the Volkswagen Group is leading the pack in the global sales race and looks set to put an end to Toyota’s four-year record on top, according to a report from Automotive News.
This despite the diesel emissions scandal still engulfing the German group.
In the first nine months of 2016, Toyota increased its global sales by 0,4% to 7,53 million units. But the VW Group reported a 2,4% increase year-on-year, taking its total sales figure to 7,61 million units.
Some of this success is due to the strides the Group has made in the Chinese market, where it reportedly outsells Toyota by a 3:1 ratio. In fact, VW Group sales in the world’s largest automotive market increased some 11% to 2,58 million units in the first nine months of 2016.
Automotive News suggests falling petrol prices in the US, which appears to have affected demand for the new Prius hybrid, may partially explain Toyota’s slip in growth. Furthermore, an explosion at a key steel supplier earlier this year saw some Toyota plants shut down for a week, while earthquake damage to another supplier’s facility also cut productivity.
