Volkswagen dethrones Toyota as largest automaker

Volkswagen Group has usurped Toyota Motor as the world's largest automaker in 2016, capturing the crown for the first time in a bittersweet accomplishment attributable almost entirely to booming sales in China.

Toyota Motor lost in 2016 the title company that sells more cars worldwide for the German group Volkswagen, the first time since 2011 that the Japanese automaker cedes the throne as the largest annual vendor.

According to data released on Monday, by the company based in Aichi (central Japan), the group Toyota , including its subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors , sold 10.175 million units in the last year.

The figure is 0.2 percent higher than last year, but lower than the 10.3 million units (3.8 percent) sold Volkswagen in 2016 despite the effects of the recent scandal manipulation diesel emissions their models.

The last time Toyota was selling as the second largest annual world was in 2011, year in which the earthquake and tsunami devastated northeastern Japan and severely affected its operations to cause significant cuts in supply chains.

Volkswagen's global brands include the flagship VW, luxury line Audi and sports car brand Porsche.