Automobile industry analysts say Volkswagen is poised to become the world’s biggest carmaker this year, passing Toyota and General Motors.

Volkswagen’s steady growth coupled with Toyota’s earthquake-related production downturn account for the change at the top of the auto industry.

Industry experts say Volkswagen’s Chinese sales have grown by nearly 20-percent. Bloomberg News reports the German automaker has seen sales in India more than double.

Automobile industry experts expect Toyota to overcome production supply issues and regain the top spot in 2012.