Global chip crunch forces American automakers to sharply cut production
Toyota Motor has overtaken GM to claim the top spot in U.S. auto sales for the first time, according to 2021 figures released Tuesday.
The Japanese automaker sold 2.332 million vehicles in the U.S. market in 2021, up 10% from a year earlier, surpassing General Motors’ 2.218 million units and becoming the first foreign player in history to take the crown.
While GM and Ford Motor were forced to sharply cut production due to the global chip crunch, the impact was limited at Toyota.
Ford is still crunching its full-year sales results. But for the period between January and November, the American rival undershot Toyota’s numbers by more than 400,000 units in terms of passenger vehicles, which indicates Toyota has secured the top spot.
