Today, Toyota announced its official December and end of calendar year production numbers. In December, Toyota’s worldwide production was up 13.1 percent to 757,226 units as ToMoCo hustles to make up for sales lost under Japanese tidal waves and Thai floods. For the year, worldwide production of all TMC divisions (including Daihatsu and Hino) dropped 8.2 percent to exactly 7,858,091 units. Overseas production dropped 3 percent to 4,374,627 units, while Japanese production got it on the chin to the tune of 13.9 percent, or 3,483,464 units.
This closes, at least for the time being, the books on the race of the giants for places on the podium of the world’s largest automakers, a race everybody (except Volkswagen) denies to be in. Here are the official standings:
World’s largest automakers 2011
| Units 2011 | Rem | |
| GM | 9,025,942 | “Sales” |
| Volkswagen | 8,160,000 | “Deliveries” |
| Toyota | 7,858,091 | “Production” |
Note the remarks. GM reports “sales.” Its official number might be revised once GM’s quarterly report come out. Volkswagen reports “deliveries to customers,” whoever these customers might be. Toyota reports production.
Once the numbers are handed in to OICA for the purposes of the belated crowning of the allegedly reluctant king (some time in July 2012,) all will have to report production numbers. Not that they would make a difference. Even if Volkswagen adds on the 200,000 or so trucks made by MAN and Scania to its 8.16 million total, it won’t make a dent in the ranking.
Last year’s race had been decided on March 11. This year, it could get more interesting.
Comparing Sales vs. Deliveries vs. Production means absolutely nothing. What about Gross Revenues vs EBITDA? Won’t somebody please think of EBITDA?
The trouble is that the ranking is not done by EBITA, it’s done by production. You need to complain to OICA, sorry.
Agreed, Bertel… my EBITDA reference was just a weak attempt at humour. My point is that the list does not rank by production or anything else. It merely juxtaposes three completely different variables, which doesn’t really give a clear picture of anything.
The stock price looks at ebidta every hour of every day.
While I can understand wanting to compare Revenues or EBIT/operating profit – I don’t really get the value of EBITDA. Anyway, those numbers aren’t out yet and won’t be out for some time I’d guess. And they wouldn’t be incredibly useful in comparing “Global Production”… ;)
EDIT: This was supposed to be a reply to the first post in this thread. Must have hit the wrong “Reply” button…
Re. GM’s “sales” number, where is the point of sale measured? Plant? Dealer? Customer?
At least this year, the `race`has a more clear cut winner. Toyota`s win by 46k units in 2010 was hardly worth crowing about, although crow they did.
Which is why their blaming everything on the earthquake is so silly: GM was already poised to overtake Toyota in 2010. What would concern me more, if I were an exec in Toyota City`, is how a former U.S. giant, having just emerged from bankruptcy and with the media still nipping at its heels about the `handouts, managed to kick my a$$ so clearly?