"I actually did a little 'happy dance' in my office," Akio Toyoda told a network of the automaker's dealers, according to a video seen by Reuters at a press briefing Thursday. "Thankfully nobody saw it!" Toyoda said.
Last year, GM was relieved of its title as top car company in the US market due to a series of supply chain shortages that caused decreased output. In 2021, GM sold 2.2 million cars- 13% less than the number it sold last year which was 2.5 million cars.
In contrast, Toyota's vehicle sales increased 10.4% to 2.3 million cars. This is likely because of the company's improved management of its supply chains.
According to CNBC at the time, Jack Hollis, Toyota North America's senior vice president of automotive operations, downplayed its top ranking as America's bestselling car company, telling reporters "that is not our goal, nor do we see it as sustainable"
Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota founder Kiichiro Toyoda, is more than just a business executive. The 66-year-old president is a true enthusiast, having helped create some popular vehicles like the Yaris, Supra, and Corolla in GR flavor. At the same time, Akio Toyoda is a race car driver and took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring several times.
