In the year ending December 2010, the provisional figure for average vehicle delay on the slowest 10% of journeys was 3.55 minutes per 10 miles, a fall of 9% since March 2008.

BBC: How are motorists saving fuel?

GM's international chief, Tim Lee, said the auto maker isn't ignoring the slowdown but it has no plans to delay vehicle projects, seeing new models as helping to battle back.

WSJ: In Geneva, a Car Party Amid Industry's Gloom

Now there is a week's delay for its operational start as it didn't get its new vehicle certificate in time from the Department for Transport (DfT).

BBC: Week-long wait for London's new Routemaster bus