Toyota wrests world sales crown off GM

Toyota sold 8.97 million vehicles in 2008, around 616,000 more than GM’s 8.36 million.

The key difference was the percentage by which each company’s global sales fell – Toyota’s by four percent while GM lost 10.8 percent.

Both were hurt most in the recession-ravaged United States were GM’s sales dropped 22.7 percent in 2008 while Toyota suffered a 15.4 percent decline.

Right now, GM says it’s not concerned about winning the sales numbers game. Its focus is on staying afloat and getting back to making money.