| Manufacturers | Production | |
| 1. | Toyota | 9,366,000 |
| 2. | GM | 8,902,252 |
| 3. | Volkswagen Audi AG | 6,191,618 |
| 4. | Ford Group | 5,964,000 |
| 5. | Hyundai-Kia | 3,961,629 |
| 6. | Honda | 3,831,000 |
| 7. | Nissan | 3,675,574 |
| 8. | PSA Group | 3,428,400 |
| 9. | Chrysler | 2,676,268 |
| 10. | Fiat Group | 2,620,864 |
Seems the ongoing journey to doom for the American manufacturers and the onslaught of the Koreans had drastically shifted the charts that had so long been dominated by American manufacturers.
Moreover the changing of attitude amongst American consumers, to stop buying cars patriotically, and of course the rising petrol costs that halted sales of trucks so badly, where traditionally American manufacturers had relied so much on truck sales that their production lines can't even flexibly change course to produce cars, unlike Japanese manufacturers that could switch at a touch of a button.
Korean manufacturers with their increased ambitions to be world class manufacturers, turning out products that are comparatively as reliable as their Japan counter parts and investing heavily on R&D had produced the results we're all happy to hear of.
Next up are the used-to-be top 5 manufacturers of PSA (Peugeot Citroen) and Fiat Group, with their product portfolios increasingly being distant away by the ever improving Germans and Japanese products; they can't compete with Japanese on pricing, they can't compete with the Germans on performance, brand positioning.
Ending up getting lost in circles that twirls itself deeper and deeper into the center, isolating themselves from mainstream products where the top of mind of consumers just won't ring up.
A mid size sedan that's affordable? Civic, a more luxurious sedan? 3 Series or A4; anyone thought of Laguna or Citroen C5, 407 or Alfa 159? An executive sedan? GS350 or BMW 5 Series, A6 or E-Class, anyone thought of Citroen C6, 607 or Alfa 166? A small reliable working horse? Golf. Cheaper? Yaris, or even KIA Cee'd; anyone thought of the Megane, Fiat Bravo, 308? or Punto?
Well at least Renault and Peugeot's still doing rather fine but we can smell they're struggling to uphold their brand loyalty as the brand traditionally focuses on handling, they're now everywhere, trying to be luxury when their brand suggests the other way.
All in all, the market is cold blooded, if you're not performing well enough it not only reflects in your sales, it affects your brand positioning and top of mind effect where it'll take millions of years to reposition back on track.
Hopefully with Alfa's foray of re-entering the American market, we do hope another player could stand firm between the German Trios, and should Peugeot give away the fact that they own Citroen and not the other way round and stop trying to position Citroen as a brand below theirs by employing the old formula of hi-tech + affordability; they could have a winning edge again.
We at Wheels Weekly would predict the charts would continue to change where the Detroit giants would have new players to face later on, the ones from China and India would certainly gain a foot step into the charts albeit in very isolated markets. (Domestic consumption would skyrocket and put them in the charts anyway)
Source: Automotive News
