Toyota (NYSE:TM) Remains Top in Auto Sales for 2010, Selling 8.42 Million Vehicles

Toyota NYSE:TM) remains the global leader in auto sales for the third straight year, selling 8.4 million vehicles around the world.

One weakness for Toyota was the North American market, as they don't offer the variety model lineup domestic companies like General Motors (NYSE:GM) do, such as larger sedans.

The growth in sales for Toyota in 2010 was 8 percent more than in 2009, and includes Daihatsu Motors, which focuses on making small cars, and Hino Motors, which makes trucks for the auto giant.

Toyota surpassed General Motors as the world's leading automaker in 2008, after almost 80 years of being No. 1.

GM came in second place in 2010 with sales of 8.39 million vehicles, a 12 percent jump from the 7.48 million they sold the year before, although that was weighed down by the need to get a government infusion of cash to survive.

Toyota was trading at $83.34, up $1.33, or 1.62 percent, as of 11:37 AM EST.