Toyota Motor has passed DaimlerChrysler as the number three car seller in the US for the first time during a full calendar year.
The Japanese automaker ended 2006 commanding 15.4 per cent of the US car market, compared with DaimlerChrysler's 13.3 per cent, according to New Jersey-based Autodata.
Toyota's market share reportedly grew more than two per cent, while sales were up 12.9 per cent to more than 2.5 million vehicles.
In terms of overall US sales, there was a 2.6 per cent drop to about 16.5 million from 17 million the year before, Autodata said.
Ford remains the number two carmaker, ending the year in control of a 16.4 per cent market share.
Analysts forecast that General Motors, which sells more cars in the US than any other company, could be surpassed by Toyota in terms of global sales this year.
Sales for GM and Ford both fell in December due to lacklustre demand for pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
December sales at GM were at their lowest annual total since 1970, with car and truck sales totalling 341,327, while Ford sold 233,621 and Toyota 228,322.
Sales of Nissan vehicles rose 0.6 per cent, while sales at Honda slumped 0.8 per cent, Autodata claimed.
Digg 
Delicious 
Reddit 
StumbleUpon 
Google 
Technorati 
Netvouz