Car sales collapse by almost a fifth as loan drought and fuel rises bite (Independent)

Confirmation that consumer confidence and spending on "big-ticket" items is testing new lows came yesterday with the release of the latest figures on new cars sales. The Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT) reported an 18.6 per cent annual decline in sales in August, with sales to private buyers rather than the fleets down by a massive 23.6 per cent.