The Government's scrappage scheme could result in a generation of would-be classic cars disappearing from British roads - and culture - according to the editor of Classic Cars magazine.
Phil Bell told BBC Radio Four's Today Programme that the move by the Government is "an attack on a vibrant part of our cultural and industrial heritage".
Bell is warning that old cars, like popular music, are "part of the backdrop of our lives", and are not fit for the scrap heap purely because of their age.
Announced in the Budget, the scrappage scheme came into effect on 18 May. It allows owners of cars and small vans registered before 31 August 1999 to scrap their vehicle and receive a £2,000 discount against a new vehicle.
The most recent figures showed that by 7 June, 60,000 orders had been placed under the scheme since its announcement on 22 April.
According to Bell, there are around 400,000 cars over 25 years old on Britain's roads, the majority of which are in good condition.
"Just because a car is worth something less than £2,000 doesn't mean it's in terrible condition," he said.
"A lot of these cars are maintained to a very high standard by enthusiastic owners."
Although the scheme has been questioned by some environmentalists - worried that people would use the incentive to trade up to a less efficient car - the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says that anecdotal evidence suggests buyers have tended to go for smaller cars.
