TOYOTA is aiming for a comeback, targeting record global sales of 8.48 million vehicles in 2012 and an even bigger number in 2013, after being battered this year by the March disaster in Japan and flooding in Thailand.

Toyota Motor Corp, Japan's top automaker, relinquished its title as the world's biggest in global vehicle sales for the first half of this year, sinking to No. 3 trailing United States rival General Motors Co and Volkswagen AG of Germany.

Toyota's global vehicle sales for this year total 7.9 million vehicles, including group companies, down 6 percent from the previous year, it said in a statement yesterday.

GM has not yet released its global sales numbers for this year. The Detroit-based automaker had been at the top for over 70 years until Toyota took the crown in 2008.

Toyota's targets for 2012 and 2013 do not include group companies such as Daihatsu Motor Co and Hino Motors and so aren't directly comparable with any forecasts from GM and Volkswagen.

Toyota said the sales target for 2012 is based on achieving 20 percent growth from its global sales this year and would be a record high for the company, underlining its turnaround ambitions.

The automaker's current sales record of 8.43 million vehicles was attained in 2007.

"It won't be a surprise to me if Toyota reaches a new record in global sales," said Mamoru Katou, auto analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research. Hybrids are popular in Japan, the Camry sedan is doing well in the US and demand is robust in emerging markets, he said.

Toyota has been making up for weak sales in North America and Japan with momentum in booming markets such as China and India.

The maker behind the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models said it plans to sell 8.95 million vehicles globally in 2013.