The tax is levied on cars and camper vans whose engines exceed 2500cc, which represent less than 10% of the newly registered vehicles.

The extra tax on luxury vehicles was included in the omnibus fiscal consolidation act last spring with the government projecting receipts in the amount of EUR 7m.

The extra tax starts at 8% for vehicles with engines in excess of 2,500cc, rising in several steps to the rate of 16% for cars with engines with 4000cc and more.

In the six months to the end of last year, the tax was paid on 574 such cars, bringing EUR 1.2m in budget receipts, data from the Tax Administration (DURS) show.

The tax on motor vehicles, introduced in 1999, secured EUR 40.6m to the budget last year. The government had hoped the new tax to bring in close to a fifth of the receipts from the tax on motor vehicles.

Slovenia saw a drop in car sales last year. DURS data show 67,422 new cars were registered last year, down 29% on the year before.