Final phase of scrappage starts today - The final phase of the scrappage scheme starts today.
Carmakers are being allocated a quota of the remaining 50,000 cars based on their share of the private retail market in 2009, according to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
BIS said the scrappage scheme would not be extended but pointed to those carmakers who have announced post scrappage marketing schemes to shore up demand.
Lord Mandelson, Business Secretary said: "This is last orders for the scrappage scheme.
"Car owners need to move quickly to avoid disappointment if they want to buy a new car at a discount.
"Industry figures have showed again and again the benefits that the scrappage scheme is continuing to deliver to the automotive sector and beyond. It is great news that in January scrappage helped the industry to achieve its biggest output gain since May 1976."
The UK scheme came into force in mid-May 2009 with up to £400m from Government and matched funding from carmakers.
The scheme runs out or at midnight on Wednesday, 31st March 2010, whichever is the sooner. The scheme applies to commercial vans (up to 3.5 tonnes) as well as cars.
In Germany, scrappage scheme has ended and sales have sharply fallen.
The US is also expected to see a fall after the scheme ends. (Motortrader, 24.2.10)

Media still influences car buying decisions - The media continues to have a major influence on the types of cars that people are buying in the UK according to a new poll by Motorpoint.
Over 60% of people surveyed said they still relied on the advice of motoring journalists when it came to choosing their next car. Over 700 people took part in the two day study.
David Shelton, managing director of Motorpoint said: “Our poll confirms that people really do listen to the media – it’s a fact that can’t be ignored in this electronic day and age.” (AM online, 25.2.10)

Jaguar Land Rover wins loan from European Bank - MUMBAI (Reuters) – India's Tata Motors said on Thursday its Jaguar Land Rover unit has received a 340 million pound ($458 million) loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
Tata Motors said the loan will finance development of micro and full hybrid drivetrains and also fund research into more energy efficient car bodies for Jaguar Land Rover.
The eight-year amortizing loan from the EIB, the EU's finance arm, was granted under the European Clean Transport Facility.
"This will support the progress of turnaround in Jaguar Land Rover's business in challenging market conditions, alongside cost cutting measures, increase of volumes and the improved margins strategy currently being implemented by Jaguar Land Rover," Ravi Kant, Tata Motors vice chairman, said in a statement.
Tata said the EIB loan completes the last major element of its funding plan for Jaguar Land Rover and is part of the company's efforts to strengthen the group's balance sheet.
In 2009, the company secured over 500 million pounds of funding for Jaguar Land Rover from the international finance market.
(Autonews, 25.2.10)