General Motors spokesman Jim Cain said GM will release its full-year global sales totals in January.
The Detroit automaker had been at the top for more than seven decades until Toyota took the crown in 2008.
After the first three quarters, GM sold 6.79 million vehicles worldwide, according to its filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. If fourth-quarter results are consistent with prior months, it will sell just more than 9 million vehicles in 2011. Last year, GM sold 8.39 million vehicles around the world.
Volkswagen also has not released its 2011 tally but said this month it delivered 7.51 million vehicles globally during the January-November period.
Toyota’s targets for 2012 and 2013 do not include group companies such as Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors, and so aren’t directly comparable with numbers from GM and Volkswagen.
Toyota said its sales target for calendar 2012 is based on achieving 20 percent growth from its global sales this year and would be a record high for the company, underlining its turnaround ambitions.
The automaker’s current sales record of 8.43 million vehicles was attained in 2007.
“It won’t be a surprise to me if Toyota reaches a new record in global sales,’’ said Mamoru Katou, auto analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research. Hybrids remain popular in Japan, the Camry sedan is doing well in the United States, and demand is robust in emerging markets, he said.
Toyota has been making up for sales declines in North America and Japan with momentum in relatively new but booming markets such as China and India.
The manufacturer of the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models said it plans to sell 8.95 million vehicles around the world in 2013, not including group companies.
Toyota said it had not yet figured out forecasts for the group companies. It is possible the target might exceed 9 million vehicles, had they been included.
Targeted overseas sales of 6.95 million vehicles this year, up 19 percent year-on-year, would also be a new record for Toyota, if attained.
