Toyota vs. GM

Toyota Motor Corp is set to unseat General Motors Corp as the world's biggest automaker by sales volume this year, but it already outstrips the U.S. giant in almost every other key measure.

Excluding sales at GM's minority-held Chinese joint venture, Toyota overtook it in global vehicle sales in 2006.

Following are some key comparisons between the world's two largest automakers:

MARKET CAPITALISATION (as of Dec. 10)
Toyota $205.7 billion GM $16.2 billion

GLOBAL GROUP-WIDE VEHICLE SALES
+2007 forecast 2006 2005

Toyota 9.34 million 8.81 million 8.11 million
GM 9.20 million 9.09 million 9.17 million

REVENUE +2007 forecast 2006 2005
Toyota $231.82 bln $217.71 bln $191.25 bln
GM N/A $207.35 bln $194.66 bln

NET PROFIT +2007 forecast 2006 2005
Toyota $15.45 bln $14.95 bln $12.47 bln
GM N/A loss $1.98 bln loss $10.42 bln

+Company forecasts. Toyota's business year starts on April 1, GM's on Jan. 1.

Reuters