March 2024

2024-03-11 21:03:40

Because of extreme punitive tax

In France, sports cars are becoming unaffordable

While fans of affordable compact sports cars are looking forward to new products like the fresh Toyota GR Yaris, in France there is mourning. A new penalty tax, which is due when CO₂ emissions are high, leads to a doubling of the price.

Published: 09:00 am

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Updated: 9:06 a.m

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The new Toyota GR Yaris will be massively expensive in France.

Denis FriedIntern Car & Mobility

Drivers of large and powerful cars are having an increasingly difficult time in France: Paris voters recently decided to introduce a drastic increase in parking fees for SUVs. Now fans of high-horsepower sports cars might soon be in trouble, or rather their wallets. Because our neighbor will drastically increase the penalty tax on cars with particularly high CO₂ emissions once more in 2024.

More regarding new laws and traffic regulations

Up to 60,000 euros surcharge

From this year, France’s proposed law envisages a punitive tax for cars that have CO₂ emissions above 117 g/km according to the WLTP procedure (see box). The problem: The penalty amount increases exponentially. If 100 euros are still due at 120 g/km, the amount increases 22 times to 2205 euros at 150 g/km!

What is WLTP?

The Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Test Procedure (WLTP) is a test procedure for fuel consumption and emissions that was developed on behalf of the EU Commission and has been in force since 2017. The mandatory procedure is the basis for type approval of new cars in the EU and Switzerland and is intended to provide realistic values.

The CO₂ emissions are measured under real conditions using “Real Drive Emissions” tests (RDE). In this test, cars are driven in town, outside town and on the motorway for between 90 and 120 minutes. This procedure makes it impossible for car manufacturers to influence the results, and consumers receive more realistic consumption and emissions values ​​than in the old NEDC test procedure.

The Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Test Procedure (WLTP) is a test procedure for fuel consumption and emissions that was developed on behalf of the EU Commission and has been in force since 2017. The mandatory procedure is the basis for type approval of new cars in the EU and Switzerland and is intended to provide realistic values.

The CO₂ emissions are measured under real conditions using “Real Drive Emissions” tests (RDE). In this test, cars are driven in town, outside town and on the motorway for between 90 and 120 minutes. This procedure makes it impossible for car manufacturers to influence the results, and consumers receive more realistic consumption and emissions values ​​than in the old NEDC test procedure.

For cars like the compact sports car Toyota GR Yaris, which is extremely popular with us, the pollutant emissions finally rise to the point of absurdity. The small hothatch from Japan costs 46,300 euros in France as a manual transmission and 48,800 euros with an automatic transmission. At 210 g/km, the machine’s CO₂ emissions are so high that the maximum penalty is due: 60,000 euros! The new car then costs more than twice as much and costs almost 110,000 euros. It’s no wonder that there are “only” 300 units for sale in France.

Sports cars are becoming almost unaffordable

In general, such taxation makes it difficult for sports car fans with smaller budgets to consider buying a sporty car. Even the basic version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia will soon cost an additional 45,990 euros in France, and a Golf R will cost at least 18,858 euros more. The law aims to encourage consumers to switch to more environmentally friendly options when purchasing a car. However, this means that customers in the lower price segment in particular are denied access to sporty vehicles.

In addition, the new law increases enormously compared to the existing one. Previously, the smaller maximum fine of 50,000 euros only had to be paid for pollutant levels of 226 g/km, 33 grams more than in the new draft. The maximum amount has also been increased by 10,000 euros and is no longer limited – previously it might not be higher than 50 percent of the purchase price.

There is at least one small consolation for French car lovers: for every year that a car was registered, the penalty tax is reduced by five percent. This means that a ten-year-old car is already half exempt from the penalty tax, and from twenty years old it is completely exempt from the penalty tax.

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