Toyota said tops in Washington clout

DETROIT, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Toyota has more clout in Washington than General Motors, the world's largest automaker, a GM executive said.

"Toyota outspends us, they have more congressmen and senators than we have," Bob Lutz, GM's vice chairman for product development, told reporters at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Lutz said the Japanese company has been in the lead in that respect for some time, the Detroit News reported.

Toyota in on pace to move past GM into the No. 1 world sales slot this year.