Toyota To Pass GM As World's Largest Automaker

In 2007 Toyota will pas GM as the world's largest automaker. Good for them. While I have never owned a Toyota, my Mom did and my friend and his family all own a Toyota, and they have all been trouble free.

(IHT) Toyota reported global group sales this year of 8.8 million cars and trucks, below GM's forecast for 2006 sales of 9.2 million vehicles. But the figures Friday showed the two rival car giants on starkly different trajectories, with Toyota expecting to add a half million vehicle sales next year, at a time when GM is shuttering plants and laying off workers.

After my last Chevy(2002 Trailblazer), I swore I would never buy a GM again. I had nothing but problems with it. Part of it was the obligatory new model bugs, but most of it was flawed design(suspension and taillight). I will say in defense of the Trailblazer, the inline 6 was a beast for a 6 cylinder.

But for the most part GM, and Ford, have failed to keep up with the changing times(engine/MPG). They always lag behind when it comes to the design of vehicles, exterior and interior. They resort to bringing back old model names and "retro" versions or tie their vehicles into the Red,White and Blue in order to appeal to our American heritage(GM, John Cougar's Our Country and Rosa Park commercial). The auto industry's version of "good guys" and "bad guys"

While GM slides, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge have done a wonderful job at merging the amenities of Daimler-Benz AG into their lines and seem to be positioned to be America's new "Heartbeat"!