TOYOTA VS. GM

Toyota has announced that it expects to shift some 10.4 million vehicles worldwide in 2009. If the company reaches their goal, they would eclipse the world record (9.55 million units) set by General Motors in 1978. On the way to that goal, Toyota is expected to best GM as the world’s largest carmaker later this year, marking the end to The General’s 76 year reign.

What’s more, some analysts believe that Toyota’s figure of 10.4 million is, if anything, a “cautious estimate.”

In any case, much of Toyota’s projected growth will likely come from developing markets like China, India, Brazil, and Russia instead of traditional strongholds like Japan and North America.