Ban new cars which do less than 35 miles to the gallon to help tackle climate change. That was the proposal made by a former chairman of Shell.

Sir Mark Moody-Stuart urged the move as an alternative to higher fuel taxes, which he said would be unfair on rural drivers and poorer people who needed their cars.

The auto industry, meanwhile, find the proposal bizarre. It could result in the banning of more than one car in three models. Iconic cars such as Beetle, Citroen C4 and Peugeot 307, might also be affected by the ruthless proposal. This is because the diesel-engined cars have slashed fuel consumption than their petrol counterparts.

Additionally, it is also thought that the 35mpg mileage standard would be more stringent than the 130g/km CO2 emissions limit for cars proposed by the European Commission from 2012 compared to the current 120g/km. The remaining 10g/km saving is to come from technological improvements, such as bio-fuels and better tyres, reported the Scotsman.

While the industry is finding new ways to improve auto parts accessories such as engine, fog light, fenders, grille, and the like, automakers are faced with added pressure imposed by new regulations.

Sir Mark, chairman of the United Nations Foundation for the Global Compact, which raises fund to perk up sustainability, has this to say: "We need very tough regulation saying that you cant drive or build something less than a certain standard. You would be allowed to drive an Aston Martin – but only if it did 50-60mpg."

He noted making people with less fuel-efficient cars pay more in road and fuel tax would simply let the rich avoid taking responsibility for tackling climate change. "You can buy the roomiest, vroomiest car, as long as it meets the efficiency standard. We have driven a hybrid since 2001 and it is a beautiful piece of engineering,” added Sir Mark, now a chairman of mining group Anglo American.

United Kingdom’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said Sir Marks call was not helpful. "This is a really bizarre proposal. If we are trying to reduce emissions, it should not be confused by using other measurements. Our priority is to reduce, which will have the knock-on effect of improving engine efficiencies," the society’s spokesperson said.

The Department for Transport agreed that was a better target. A spokeswoman of the department said the governments strategy to make transport greener included negotiating to set compulsory long-term targets to cut emissions from new cars. "Emissions and miles per gallon are both related, but emissions are a more direct indicator of environmental performance, used across Europe and wider. Therefore, that is what we work with," she stressed.

Neil Greig, the director of policy for the Institute of Advanced Motorists Motoring Trust in Scotland, also refuted the proposal. "Real progress in reducing emissions requires a combination of incentives for new technology, improved alternatives to the car and behavioral change such as more awareness of eco-driving techniques. Incentives and education will deliver better fuel consumption far more quickly than any headline grabbing blanket bans," Greig concluded.