Toyota looks set to get back in the lead of the pack

Toyota forecast a 20 percent jump in global sales to a record 8.48 million vehicles next year as it claws back from this year’s output losses caused by natural disasters in Japan and Thailand.

Toyota overtook General Motors as the world’s top-selling automaker in 2008 but is set to lose that crown this year as supply-chain disruptions from the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and flooding in Thailand cut production around the world.

With estimated sales this year of 7.90 million vehicles for the group, which includes units Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, Toyota will likely rank third behind General Motors and Volkswagen.

Toyota could regain the top ranking next year as it builds inventory to meet pent-up demand and adds output capacity in China and Brazil, among other countries. GM and VW have not disclosed their 2012 sales plans, and Toyota did not provide group forecasts.

“The reason they lost sales this year was because they couldn’t build the cars. Now that they can, it’s possible they’ll take back the top spot,” said Satoru Takada, analyst at Tokyo-based T.I.W.

“But it depends on which markets the growth will come from,” he said, noting Toyota was dominant in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, but faces tougher competition in China and South America.