Surely tho the dealers will just 'haggle' the grand out of the price. U know like you ask for a full tank of petrol and road tax and stuff, everyone will just be saying "throw in the shroom tax and well have a deal".
Cool accidentally given it a cool new name too, the Shroom Tax.
Not really to be honest my friend. The majority of new car buyers will still pay more than they do today, which ever way you look at it, no matter how much you haggle.
You are still losing out by roughly the amount of the showroom tax and this is going to be £550 for an average hot hatch, for example.
A standard discount on a pre-reg 2008 Focus ST2 is over £3k off list price, now in 2008.
In all probability, you'll only get the same overall amount knocked off on a pre-reg 2010 Focus ST2. The difference is, the 2010 model will most likely be £19300 not £19000 as it is now.
Alternatively, the dealer can chose not to factor in the £550 showroom tax into the list price and still charge £19000 for their 2010 pre-reg Focus ST2, before discount. All they will do then is give a £2500-£2750 discount compared to today's £3000+ discount.
Whatever way you cut it, you will lose out, all IMHO of course.
You can argue that, this tax could significantly affect the new car market if the manufacturers choose to pass on this showroom tax to their customers in the form of a higher list price but the reality is margins are so tight on bread and butter models, to swallow this tax increase wholesale, rather than pass it on, will be financial suicide for most car manufacturers.
