FACTBOX: Ranking of world's top 10 auto groups by sales

(Reuters) - Robust growth in car sales in emerging markets such as China, Russia, Brazil and India has helped automakers such as Toyota Motor and Volkswagen ride a downturn in North America and Western Europe.

Detroit's General Motors and Ford, meanwhile, succumbed to the slump in their backyard, ceding the No.1 and No.3 spots.

Following is a list of the world's top 10 auto groups ranked by vehicle sales in the first half of 2008, with the previous year's ranking in brackets.

RANK NAME SALES PCT

CHANGE

1) (2) Toyota Motor Corp 4.818 mln +2.2

2) (1) General Motors Corp 4.540 mln -3

3) (4) Volkswagen AG 3.266 mln +5.8

*4) (3) Ford Motor Co 3.217 mln -6

#5) (5) Hyundai Motor Co 2.187 mln +10.8

6) (6) Honda Motor Co 2.022 mln +9.3

7) (7) Nissan Motor Co 2.014 mln +9.7

8) (8) PSA Peugeot Citroen 1.697 mln +0.5

9) (10) Renault SA 1.326 mln +4.3

10) (11) Suzuki Motor Corp 1.283 mln +6.4

* Ford publishes wholesale, not retail, figures.