Shanghai

THE rout in China stocks is posing another threat to the world's biggest car market, jeopardising growth plans for companies from Volkswagen AG to General Motors Co (GM).

Chinese equities have suffered the biggest plunge since 1996, leaving would-be buyers with less cash to spend. Dealers are already reporting lost sales from the stock tumult and automakers are bracing for more pain after a slowdown in the once-hot car market.