DETROIT, MI (AP)-- General Motors is edging out fast-growing Volkswagen in first-quarter sales as both companies try to close the gap with Toyota for the global world sales crown.
Toyota, which is scheduled to release first-quarter numbers next week, dethroned GM to retake the top spot in 2012, a year in which VW posted record sales and came within 190,000 vehicles of beating GM.
GM said Tuesday that it sold 2.36 million cars and trucks across the globe from January through March, an increase of 3.6 percent over the first quarter of last year.
GM's growth was led by Cadillac, with sales worldwide up 26 percent. Chevrolet, which makes up 73 percent of company sales, grew just under 1 percent over last year's record numbers.
