The Renault-Nissan Alliance may have placed third in 2011 global new car sales with about 8.03 million vehicles, a figure including those sold by the Renault-financed AvtoVAZ of Russia, according to Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn.
Ghosn unveiled the data in a speech at the annual North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Together with alliance partner Renault SA, Nissan appears to have passed Toyota Motor Corp., which sold an estimated 7.9 million vehicles last year.
Volkswagen AG said Monday that new car sales for its group firms, excluding sales of some commercial vehicles, grew 14.3 percent in 2011 from the previous year to a record 8.16 million units.
General Motors Co., which has yet to announce its data, is expected to be the world leader with estimated sales of around 9 million vehicles.
According to Ghosn, Nissan sold 4.67 million units last year, while Renault moved 2.72 million and AvtoVAZ sold 638,000, up around 10 percent from 2010.
Nissan is aiming to acquire around 25 percent of AvtoVAZ, a financially struggling firm owned more than 25 percent by Renault. The step would enable the alliance to control the Russian automaker.