Porsche fighting London's congestion charge

Porsche Cars UK has taken the unusual step of taking legal action against London mayor Ken Livingstone’s recent proposal for a £25 ($50) daily charge on high emissions sports cars and SUVs that drive though central parts of the UK capital. The new scheme will come into effect on October 27, forcing vehicles with the highest greenhouse gas emissions to pay the fee every time they enter London’s Congestion Zone.

According to a statement made by the company today, the tax will have a “very limited effect on CO2 emissions” and will “damage London based-businesses of all sizes.” Porsche goes on to claim that “successful people from across the world will start to think twice about basing themselves here if they think they are going to be used as cash cows for City Hall. The proposed increase will be bad for London as a whole and will send out the signal that it is not serious about establishing itself as the best place in the world to do business.”
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SHOWTIME - 2/19/2008 11:37:53 AM

+2 Boost

That is ridiculous!

EnnNorak - 2/19/2008 11:52:15 AM

+5 Boost

You must be referring to the mayor.

SHOWTIME - 2/21/2008 9:52:50 PM

+1 Boost

EnnNorak, yes I was.

TauronB2G - 2/19/2008 12:51:38 PM

+2 Boost

Bad idea. The cost is much too high. Thats a real high tax. If it were everyone in London I could see it, I wouldn't like it but I could see it. But just exotics and trucks. Thats not cool Maybe if they took the sticker approach like they do here in Chicago.
Didn't New York do something like this?
T

Shahan - 2/19/2008 12:54:50 PM

+4 Boost

GO PORSCHE!!!

ThierryHenry14 - 2/19/2008 1:18:18 PM

+2 Boost

I support Porsche... the congestion charge will not make a positive effect.

investor27 - 2/19/2008 1:51:01 PM

+2 Boost

When are they going to stop robbing the rich blindly? Just because they can't afford a Porsche or other luxury brand, does not give them the rights to come up with rules and regulations to take advantage of the ones who can.

SixxFive - 2/19/2008 6:10:21 PM

+2 Boost

London Mayor Ken Livingstone needs a few more brain cells. Targeting a certain class of vehicles is dumber than dumb. If he wants to ease traffic congestion in central London, all vehicles should pay a fee. To make it worse, he thinks his plan will ease/eliminate air pollution.

Rupert - 2/19/2008 6:45:59 PM

+2 Boost

219g/km, I believe you mean. And it won't affect the S class's sales as it's emissions are 223, just under the 225 higher threshold.

And please, don't say everyone in London. I live here. And I have seen very few LS600h's. If the situation changes I will tell you, but I don't expect it to as the diesel rivals all cost less and emit roughly the same.

Rupert - 2/19/2008 6:25:05 PM

+2 Boost

This article is a bit misleading, and has perhaps confused some readers.
The Congestion charge, which we have had for about 5 years now, and which previously was 8 pounds for everyone bar hybrid cars is becoming an emissions based charge.
Cars that emit under 120g/km will be free (Prius, Mini Cooper D, A3 1.9 TDIe, Ford Focus 1.6 TDCI, Citroen C1 etc)
Cars that emit between 120-225g/km will be 8 pounds
Cars over 225g/km will be 25 pounds (Porsches, powerful, large engined cars, many SUVs and crossovers)

Please note - all Lexus hybrids will now be 8 pounds rather than free as they previously were, which was stupid.
This new charge is also stupid because it will have no effect on emissions due to a flood of small cars that are free being driven into the zone.

Rupert - 2/20/2008 12:40:03 PM

+1 Boost

Pity is CO2 is actually not a pollutant - it has no effect on air quality or smog. Hydrocarbons , soot and NOx, both of which are far reduced in modern cars (even diesels have much lower amounts now) are the main local pollutants.
Interestingly a diesel car with a particulate (soot) filter will actually emit less soot than a comparable petrol engine...living in London I notice that, behind older diesels on a bike one can smell and taste the particles, but modern ones I don't notice anything different at all.

And if you replace 1 300 g/km car (ie a Q7 4.2) with 3 120 g/km cars (as many people are predicting) the situation doesn't improve, and congestion is worse.
And actually, what if you replace 1 226 g/km car (I think the ML 320cdi is something like that) with just 2 120g/km cars, it's actually worse.

PorscheBob - 2/22/2008 2:35:46 AM

+1 Boost

The London mayor sounds almost as stupid as a local Berkeley mayor we have in California.
Just another scheme to suck money out of people's pockets.