Boost after record month for new car sales

Last month's new units totalled 5,331 compared with 3,897 the previous February.

The overall UK figure showed an increase of 26.36 per cent with 68,686 vehicles registered as against 54,359 for February last year.

Douglas Robertson, chief executive of the Scottish Motor Trade Association, said: "We are very pleased to see the good start to the year we had last month continue into February. It augurs well for March which sees the introduction of the new '10' plate, but also the ending of the scrappage scheme."

He continued "With scrappage accounting for just under 20 per cent of these registrations we must be concerned at what will happen after the scheme ends. This, together with the prospect of an increase in VAT after the general election and the introduction of the increased first year VED (vehicle excise duty] on 1 April, will put a further strain in the industry."

However, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said 2010 total registrations are expected to be about 10 per cent down at 1.82 million.