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Volkswagen nears number one ranking with 8M in sales

The Associated Press Published Monday, January 9, 2012 10:20AM EST

In this June 1, 2011 file picture, workers walk at the assembly line for the premium car Phaeton in the so called transparent factory of German carmaker Volkswagen in Dresden, eastern Germany. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer,File)

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BERLIN - German automaker Volkswagen AG says it saw sales of more than 8 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp.

Germany's dapd news agency cited Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn on Monday as saying in Detroit that VW had delivered 8.156 million vehicles in 2011, a 14 per cent rise over the previous year.

Toyota has reported sales of 7.9 million vehicles in 2011, while General Motors Co. has not yet reported. However, it is expected to have sold some 9 million based on projections from the first three quarters.

Winterkorn is holding a press conference later in the day at the Detroit Auto Show to release full figures.

Volkswagen's brands include Audi, Skoda and Seat.