Volkswagen scrappage scheme 2017 – when does the deal start and which models can you buy?

VOLKSWAGEN has joined other manufacturers and offered a scheme where drivers can save thousands if they trade in a diesel motor.

The scrappage scheme is being rolled out as manufacturers step up to slash pollution and rake in new customers — but what does it involve? Here’s the lowdown…

What is the Volkswagen scrappage scheme?

Brits could get up to £10,000 off a new car if they give up their old diesel motors.

The scheme was proposed as diesel drivers faced a bevy of congestion charges, extra parking fees and higher fuel tax to make up for their higher emissions.

Discounts include £4,000 off a regular petrol or diesel Golf, £2,800 off a new Polo and £4,000 off a Tiguan.

At a meeting in August, heads of the German firm’s brands — which include Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Seat — discussed rolling out the scheme to the UK, before announcing the scheme on August 31.

Alison Jones, of VW UK, said: “All trade-in vehicles will be scrapped.”

Under the plan, drivers would be compensated for switching their car to a cleaner version.

When does the deal start and what models can you buy?

The deal to trade in pre-2010 diesel vehicles that have been owned for at least six months starts from September 1 and runs until December 31.

The £10,000 discount on the e-Golf is the biggest incentive and reduces the list price from £32,000 to £22,000.

It combines the £4,500 Government grant for electric cars with £5,500 from VW.

The schemes cover the Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brands, and Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW vans are launching similar scrappage schemes.

Audi is offering between £2000 and £8000 off its range – with £8000 saving offered on its Q7 e-tron plug-in hybrid.

The new A8, R8 and sporting RS cars are not included in the scheme.

Discounts of between £1500 and £4000 are available on the Skoda range, but the Kodiaq is not included.

Seat’s smallest discount £1500 applies to the Mii, with the Leon shaving off £3500.

Why was the diesel scrappage scheme proposed?

Concerns over the impact of diesel cars on NOx levels were raised by the Volkswagen emissions scandal in September 2015.

A subsequent Department for Transport investigation found that 37 top-selling diesel cars exceeded the legal limit required for laboratory pollution tests when driven for 90 minutes on normal roads.

However, the idea of the scheme provoked fury from some diesel drivers, who were encouraged to buy the cars by Tony Blair’s government.

At the time, diesel was believed to be more environmentally friendly than petrol, before we knew just how harmful NOx emissions can be.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said that she would take “into account” the fact that a past government encouraged drivers to buy dirty diesels in the first place.