Chennai, May 5 (IANS): American automobile major General Motors (GM) on Tuesday announced it had manufactured 500 million vehicles globally over the past 106 years - the most by any automaker.

"This celebration isn't about GM's manufacturing prowess. It is really about our customers and the positive experiences they've had with Chevrolet and other GM-branded vehicles around the world," Stefan Jacoby, GM executive vice president and president of GM International was quoted as saying in a statement.

"While we are proud to have built 500 million vehicles, we know we will only earn the right to build 500 million more by putting our customers at the centre of everything we do," he said.

At an event in the US celebrating the milestone, GM CEO Mary Barra spoke of how the company's vehicles have played vital roles in the lives of its customers - from daily commutes to family vacations, and in milestones such as weddings and graduations - and how GM looks to build on the achievement.

"During 2015, we expect to sell more than 1,000 new vehicles per hour, 24 hours per day," Barra was quoted as saying in the statement.

"This adds up to nearly 10 million vehicles, the most in our history. I look at this extraordinary volume as 10 million opportunities to prove what kind of company we are and to say thank you," the CEO added.