Three Mercedes, a Mitsubishi Pajero, six Rovers, three Peugeots and a Volkswagen Transporter van were among the 30 unclaimed impounded cars that remained unsold at Transport Malta's auction last month.

Although the cars were offered for sale at a fraction of their actual cost, with starting prices ranging from €100 to €2,362, only 11 cars were sold.

The auction was conducted by Belgravia Auctioneers on behalf of Transport Malta.

The authority raised just over €10,700 from the vehicles' sale plus another €10,300 in registration tax due on the vehicles sold, a spokesman said. This was a fraction of the money spent on recouping some of the costs related to their removal from the road and their storage.The 41 vehicles had been imported between 2006 and 2008 and later impounded for being in breach of the Motor Vehicles Registration and Licensing Act.

Transport Malta was awaiting instructions from the Finance Ministry on how to proceed with regard to the 30 cars that remained unsold, the spokesman said. According to a legal notice on the Clamping and Removal of Motor Vehicles and Encumbering Objects Regulations, the authority has the discretion to dispose of the unsold cars after giving the Finance Minister one month notice. Among the cars that remained unsold are a Fiat Ducato van, which carried the highest registration tax of over €8,000 among all the vehicles, an Open Astra station wagon, Peugeot models 206, 205 and 405, Rover models 800, 620SLI, 218SD and 416 and two Volvos.