Rising petrol prices and dropping consumer confidence are causing motorhome manufacturers to report lower sales.

As the companies should be entering their busiest season they are feeling the pinch of lower consumer sending.

One idea to combat this downturn is to bring back the fuel efficient vehicles of the 1970s, meaning running costs could potentially be lower.

However, analysts say they are not hopeful for a quick upturn in sales, adding that 2008 may report lower sales than previous years.

Bob Simonson, an analyst at William Blair & Co, said: "This is not something that's going to cure itself quickly."

In the US a 27 per cent decrease in motorhome sales and 36 per cent drop in shipments of the vehicles has been seen.

Craig Kennison, an industry analyst at Ribert Baird & Co, said that retailers have taken to "slashing orders".

The drop in sales has proved good news for motorhome rental companies, with one company owner reporting a 70 per cent increase in bookings.

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