UK Scrappage Scheme Brings Ford 3,000 Orders

Ford Fiesta is a scrappage hit

The newest addition to the government incentives meant to boost new car sales, the one in the UK, does nothing but to confirm that those who asked for it were right. Take Ford, for instance. The American manufacturer received no less than 3,000 orders thanks to the scheme. And that's not all.

These orders come from first time customers to the car market, as the company claims. Officially, the scheme debuted yesterday, but Ford started taking orders since one month ago. Deliveries of the ordered cars will begin tomorrow.

The manufacturer's top seller, the Ford Fiesta, now has a starting price of only £7,995 while the most popular car of the month, the Focus, starts at £9,995, so there's no wonder things are going so smooth.

Other cars in Ford's line-up now have the following starting prices (provided you turn in a car older than 10 years, as the provisions of the scheme require): Ford Ka - £6,000, Ford Fusion - £8,745, Ford Mondeo - £12,900 and Ford Galaxy - £17,195. The Fiesta Van, Transit Connect and Transit are also subject to the £2,000 discount.

"Ford is putting its full weight behind the UK vehicle scrappage scheme, which will not only boost sales but will also bring positive employment and environmental benefits too. Ford's substantial backing of subsidized vehicle scrapping helps to secure the 100,000 auto industry jobs in the UK dependent on our company, dealerships and suppliers," Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain managing director said.

To remind you how the scheme works, we'll tell you that the cars traded in must still be roadworthy and need to have been registered prior to August 21, 1999. The program is available only for car weighing less than 3.5 tons, both for the traded car, as well as for the newly purchased one.