NEWS

CONFUSION reigns in the motor industry as to exactly how the end of the scrappage scheme will work.
The government announced last week that the last remaining portion of the £400m funds would be rationed and divvied up between manufacturers.
But – with less than six weeks to go until the end of the scheme – car [...]

I CAN take a joke as well as the next man – but the chaps in the office are taking things a bit far.
What’s going on? Well, as you may or may not know I’ve stupidly agreed to enter an unsaleable Hyundai i10 in a banger race to mark the end of the scrappage scheme.
We [...]

IS IT just me or does it feel like the year hasn’t even started yet? The recent cold snap seems to be thawing, but what cost has it had on trade?
I know we’ve had trouble getting hold of people across the UK since the start of the year. Huge numbers of people don’t seem to [...]

MINISTERS are to allocate quotas to car makers for the final funds from the scrappage cash pot.

Officials say rebates for less than 82,000 cars remains as the scheme enters its final weeks.
The rationing will be based on brand popularity, said business secretary Lord Mandelson. This, he said, will ensure the scheme runs down smoothly.
‘With limited [...]

SWAPPAGE is taking over scrappage at Toyota car dealers as the Government supported scheme comes to an end.
It means Toyota car buyers can STILL get a £2000 saving on the price of eligible new Toyotas!
What’s more, it’s even better than scrappage, says Toyota. Cars aged between 7 and 10 years old are eligible – W-plate [...]

KIA this week clubbed together its dealers to reveal plans for driving sales forward in a post-scrappage 2010.
At a conference for the marque’s 143-strong franchise network, Kia top brass explained they wanted dealers to focus on sales processes now scrappage is coming to an end.
With 50,000 Kias finding homes last year – a record for [...]

THE SMMT says the scrappage scheme has now notched up nearly 290,000 sales  – but has momentum dwindled?
With new car prices rising across the board in recent months and VAT back up to 17.5 per cent, enthusiasm for the scheme with consumers maybe over.
Back in October the industry feared the original £300m would run out [...]

FLEET experts are expecting car firms to begin a company car charm offensive to drive 2010 sales.
The BVRLA says that, without scrappage, it will be hoped fleets will pick up the slack.
Indeed, there could be a double bonus for car firms and dealers. Whereas scrappage sales have driven small, cheap cars, fleet buyers prefer larger, [...]

FORD Fiesta buyers have voted the supermini best car of 2009 by buying it in greater numbers than any other new car.
SMMT figures show the Fiesta is way ahead of the rest, with 117,296 sales.
Bosses at Ford are celebrating further too, as the Focus came out in 2nd place overall in the new car [...]

CAR buyers would rather VAT was held at 15 percent instead of the scrappage scheme being further extended.

Motorpoint has surveyed more than 1500 car buyers and found that most don’t want VAT to go back up to 17.5 percent.
The Chancellor is expected to raise VAT back up in today’s Pre-Budget Report. The change will commence [...]