Toyota surpasses GM as global sales leader

Toyota Motor sold more cars and trucks worldwide than General Motors in the first three months of 2007. The first quarter results mark the first time that Toyota has outsold GM, which had held the leading position for 76 years, Bloomberg reported. Toyota's global sales for the first quarter rose 9% to a record 2.35 million vehicles. GM reported last week that its global sales rose 3% to 2.26 million vehicles. While Toyota appears on course to supplant General Motors this year, GM's moves to boost overseas production could keep it in the running. The company's sales in China jumped 32% last year to 876,747 units, and it is building a new factory in India, another market with tremendous potential.