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The west London facility destroys more than 760 vehicles every week. A recent casualty was a Peugeot 206, found parked untaxed outside a house in Hampstead and reduced to metal shards in less than 30 seconds.

In the year to May more than 40,000 cars were destroyed at the site, one of two "end of life" plants used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

The DVLA and its contractor NCP Services say they are removing record numbers of untaxed vehicles from the streets.

Tim Cowen, of NCP, said: "The message is simple - get your car taxed and insured or it could end shredded. At one point there were over a million untaxed vehicles on Britain's roads. The DVLA crackdown has greatly reduced that."

Cars brought to the plant first go to the "de-pollution" area, where petrol, diesel, coolant and waste oil is drained. The Vehicle Identification Number plate is removed and kept by the DVLA.

Shredded metal is recycled by the steel industry and can be used to make new cars. The depot manager said: "It's incredible what doesn't get reclaimed. I've seen a Rolls-Royce go through the shredder."

NCP Services started working for the DVLA in May 2006. In the first 12 months more than 95,000 vehicles were clamped or removed, up from 37,000 the previous year.