Toyota has topped the list of car manufacturers in the latest FT/PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of the world's top 50 most respected companies.

Based on the opinions of 914 chief executive officers in 65 different companies, the fourth annual survey put Nissan at number six – its same position as last year – while General Motors came in at number 11 (10 last year), Ford 13 (a massive leap from 43 in 2000), DaimlerChrysler at 16 (12), BMW 24 (new entry), Volkswagen 39 (new entry) and Porsche 44 (new entry).

The most respected company in the poll is General Electric for the third year, Microsoft is at number two, IBM three, Sony four and Coca-Cola number five.

In a poll of the most respected business leaders, Hiroshi Okuda, chairman of the Toyota Motor Corporation was the highest car manufacturer boss at number seven. (December 17, 2001)