Car hire prices could rise by as much as 30% this summer due to global car shortages brought on by the crisis in Japan.

This is the prediction of leisure car hire broker, holiday autos, who says popular destinations such as France will be particularly affected.

Cars used in France, mainly Peugeots, rely heavily on car parts manufactured in Japan where many plants have slowed or ceased manufacturing altogether due to the earthquake and tsunami.

Malaga is also very likely to see some disruption, holiday autos claimed.

Managing director Stuart Nassos said: "There's no doubt that the industry will feel the effects of the car manufacturing slowdown. To what extent prices will be impacted we don't fully know yet, but we think it is very likely that they will rise.

"We also expect that the recent civil unrest in Northern Africa, including popular holiday hotspots like Egypt and Tunisia, will drive customers back to 'failsafe' destinations such as Spain and France.

“As these destinations could be heavily impacted by car shortages, this is likely to affect car hire availability in popular locations and push up prices. If you're travelling to popular destinations across Europe including France and Spain this summer, we strongly advise you book your hire car as soon as possible to avoid being disappointed".

Source: Travelmole

_______________________________________

Driving in Australia | Driving in Canada | Driving in New Zealand |Driving in the USA |Driving in Europe (with detailed country guides)| Driving in South Africa