TOYOTA LEADS: Toyota Motor Corp. has widened its global sales lead over General Motors after bouncing back from a series of natural disasters.

THE NUMBERS: Toyota said Friday it sold 7.4 million vehicles globally during the first nine months of the year. That's 450,000 more than General Motors. While Toyota's sales rose 28 percent in that period, GM's rose 2.5 percent, to 6.95 million cars and light-duty trucks.

THE RESULTS: The Japanese automaker still has challenges in China, but it looks like GM won't be able to catch up this year. Volkswagen, on the other hand, is closing in on GM for the No. 2 spot.