It's a 77 year streak that's come to end. Toyota now claims the top spot as the world's largest automaker. But in the long run....

"It doesn't matter much." said MSU Labor Relations Prof. John Revitte. He studies the auto industry and says the top spot brings nothing but bragging rights.

"Being number one or being number two isn't going to get you sales. And right now that's what GM needs is sales."

And Revitte says that may happen later this year.

"If credit eases up, if consumer confidence improves, i think GM is going to be in good shape."

It's a prediction shared by some local dealers. Sherrill Freeborough of Saturn says GM needs to be more aggressive in its marketing campaign. Side by side ads against the competition may be the ticket.

"We need to start looking at that and telling people," Freeborough said. "We haven't told people that our vehicles are better."

She says for too long consumers have believed foreign automakers make better, more fuel efficient cars. But that's not the case anymore.

"We have the newest products."

We contacted Toyota for this story, but they declined our request for an on-camera interview.

The challenge now for GM is convincing customers of its product line. And last year's numbers may give the company a little extra incentive.

"People in the business are pretty competitive. We all want to be number one. I like to be number one. I think about that more than anything."

Freeborough hopes that happens again this year. But for now, for the first time in history, that title doesn't lie with an American automaker.