FRANKFURT, August 28, 2008 (AFP) - Volkswagen, the biggest European car maker, said Thursday it had passed US rival Ford to become the third biggest auto manufacturer in the world, behind General Motors and Toyota.

'The Volkswagen Group has taken its place among the world?s top three automakers thanks to the Wolfsburg-based company?s outstanding delivery figures in the first half of 2008,' a statement said.

'Ford had to settle for fourth position.'

VW said that with first-half deliveries of 3.31 million vehicles, an annual increase of 7.2 percent, it had overtaken Ford, which it said had posted a comparable figure of 3.22 million.