The government-funded scrappage scheme will end in March with no possibility of another extension, it has been reported.

More than 355,000 orders for new cars and vans have been placed since the scheme began in April last year, according to the Press Association.

Cars registered before February 29th 2000 qualify for the scheme, with customers trading in their old car receiving at least £2,000 of a new vehicle.

Some £400 million has been invested in the scheme by the government, with £1,000 off the new vehicle coming from the government fund and the manufacturer matching that amount.

The government implemented the scheme as a way of providing a short-term boost to new car sales, which were struggling in the economic downturn.

A total of 37 motor firms are taking part in the scheme across the country and they will be allocated shares in the estimated 50,000 potential further sales, which have been calculated based on consumer demand.

Waiting until Monday to book a glass repair or replacement job on a car costs the UK economy 11,752 days a year, according to Auto Windscreens.

Every Monday there is 350 per cent increase in the number of calls Auto Windscreens receives compared to on a weekend day.

Calculations by the UK’s leading fleet automotive glazing company have found that British workers spend 1,808 hours between 09:00 GMT and 17:00 GMT making phone calls to arrange an appointment to have the glass repaired in their vehicles.

Auto Windscreens is urging its customers make use of its 24/7 contact centre and online booking service to reduce the number of calls made during working hours.

Recent winter weather has been costly the UK economy too.

An estimated £900 million was lost a day as ten per cent of staff were unable to make it into work, according to data from independent consultancy firm the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

Jaguar Land Rover has been confirmed as one of seven partners in the new Low Carbon Vehicle Technology Project in the Midlands.

The project is part of a £29 million development programme being funded by Advantage West Midlands, the European Regional Development Fund and other industry partners.

It had already been confirmed, when the Midlands region was launched as a new Low Carbon Economic Area earlier this month, that £19 million of the overall funding would come from the government.

Jaguar will be in charge of three work streams that look into the research and development of advanced vehicle supervisory controls.

It is these electronic controls that hold the key to low-carbon technology as they determine the characteristics of vehicle performance, including dynamic behaviour and traction control.

Jaguar is already investing millions of pounds in technology research and development to reduce CO2 emissions in its own premium vehicles.

The project fits in with the firm’s desire to further the development of specialist low carbon engineering skills and vehicle technologies.

A new, low cost, special edition of the Jeep Cherokee will be on sale from March 1st.

Customer demand for lavishly equipped 4×4 vehicles has led to Jeep creating the Grand Cherokee Overland Tech.

Only 115 models of the special edition will be available and the addition of the Overland Tech means the Cherokee range now has four models.

The Overland Tech has a three-litre, six cylinder diesel engine, and can reach a 124mph maximum speed.

High-tech equipment is a key selling point of the model. It features front and rear park assist, rear back-up camera and rain sensitive automatic windscreen wipers.

The luxury is inside the vehicle too, with heated front and rear seats and a rear DVD entertainment system.

Before the end of March, customers wishing to trade in their old car for a new Jeep can take advantage of the scrappage scheme.

Jeep is currently offering £2,000 off all its models, as part of the government-funded scheme, until March 31st.

The worldwide debut of Honda’s new concept car the 3R-C will be held at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

A three-wheeled single occupant vehicle, the 3R-C boasts zero carbon emissions as it is run entirely on battery power.

Honda’s EV-N model, a battery-powered city car, will have its European debut alongside the three-wheeled vehicle.

The chassis of the 3R-C allows the battery electric drivetrain to be mounted low down, which creates greater stability in the vehicle.

High sides on the safety cell of the model mean the occupant is fairly well protected from any side impacts as well as from the weather.

There is even a lockable boot at the front, allowing for secure storage of luggage or any other items.

The 3R-C could be a car for the future as the European Union is currently trying to reduce the carbon emissions produced by new vehicles.

It has pledged to ensure all new vehicles comply with an emissions limit of 130g/km by 2012.

The reliability of Toyota is not in question despite its recent recalls, according to a poll conducted by Warranty Direct.

More than eight million cars worldwide have been recalled, with 180,000 in the UK, over safety fears including accelerator and brake pedal issues.

Some 76 per cent of drivers will not see Toyota as a less reliable marque because of the safety recalls, said the poll conducted on the Reliability Index website, which is based on claims from Warranty Direct policies.

The index takes into account a vehicle’s rate of failure, cost of repair, mileage and age to calculate how reliable it is.

Toyota currently ranks quite highly in the index, with only 12 per cent of its cars hitting a fault in an average year, which is well below the 28 per cent overall average.

Warranty Direct rates the Toyota Corolla, which is the brand’s most popular car, as the most reliable on the road.

In the average year just one in 20 Corollas suffers from any problem.

The government-funded scrappage scheme has been praised for putting more eco-friendly cars on the road.

Although the initiative was brought in to provide short-term relief to the car industry during the recession, it has actually produced a knock-on effect of selling more environmentally-friendly cars.

Normally the mini car and super-mini car sectors account for 40 per cent of all new car sales, however, they represent 70 per cent of all cars registered through the scrappage scheme, according to What Green Car?.

Cars registered under the £2,000 off incentive produce average CO2 emissions of 133g/km, which is ten per cent below the new car average, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows.

The new cars purchased also had emission levels some 50g/km lower than the vehicles scrapped in the scheme.

By 2012 the European Union should reach its target of all new cars on the roads producing carbon emissions of less than 130g/km, the UK scrappage scheme has helped the country get closer to achieving this goal.

Bullying tactics adopted by drivers can lead to expensive damage, personal injury or even death, according to GEM Motoring Assist (GEM).

GEM, the UK’s largest driving-based road safety association, has warned that bullying on the road, such as tailgating, is a big issue that needs tackling in the UK.

It has produced an information leaflet on the issue to outline the problems drivers faced.

Road safety issues such as speeding and drink-driving are viewed very seriously and offenders are punished when committing these offences.

There are significant dangers posed through tailgating, cutting another driver up or failing to give way at a roundabout, yet these are not punishable offences.

GEM’s chief executive, David Williams MBE, thinks more needs to be done by police to combat the problem of on-road bullying.

He said drivers should be fined or made to attend a rehabilitation programme, if they behave aggressively on the roads, regardless of whether their actions cause an accident or not.

Nissan says global production of its cars is on the increase after announcing positive sales for January.

The Japanese manufacturer saw a 96 per cent year-on-year increase in production, up to 285,986 units.

With output of the new Fuga, Serena and export models all increasing significantly, the firm’s major markets all enjoyed an upturn.

In the US, production was up by 110 per cent year-on-year, while in Japan output increased by more than 83 per cent – with the UK showing a huge upturn, rising by 120 per cent as a result of increased demand for all models.

Global sales were also heartening for the company, increasing 36 per cent to 310,626 units in comparison to last year, heralding an all-time record for the month of January.

The positive news comes against a backdrop of tough times for fellow manufacturer Toyota.

The company, once famed for its quality and safety, is currently facing legal action over suggestions there are problems with a number of different models.

British motorists are being urged to get a clear understanding of how their car works before hitting the road.

With a fresh round of new registration plates due to arrive at the start of March and eager drivers preparing to get their hands on new models, M&S car insurance has counselled caution when it comes to taking control of a new vehicle for the first time.

The new registration round will carry the mark of 10 to recognise the new year, but M&S is advising drivers to ensure they are completely comfortable with how their car works.

With around a fifth confessing they do not know how their windscreen wipers or hazard lights work on a new model before setting off, the message is to prepare in advance.

Head of M&S Insurance, David Wells, commented: "Whether it’s a brand new car or a used vehicle, most garages should talk you through a vehicle before you drive it away.

"To avoid taking risks and potentially causing an accident, it is important to take time to familiarise yourself with the features of a car that’s new to you."