Jim Lentz, head of Toyota’s US operations, on Wednesday warned that the carmaker had “real concerns” about the survival of as many as 30 of its suppliers.

Speaking after a meeting in Washington with the US administration’s taskforce overseeing the restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler, Mr Lentz said the suppliers’ health was “a big industry issue” that went beyond their Detroit-based customers. “The biggest challenge that we face is really on the supplier side of the business,” he said.