VED up with your Lambo?
There's a new league table for worst road tax models.
If you're minted, look away now...
Warning: this is not a story for anyone easily frightened by MASSIVE motoring bills.
We all know the cars we love come with a price, but a new league table of the highest-scoring models for keeping the DVLA in business makes painful reading.
Spare a thought for that endangered breed we know as the Lamborghini owner. These poor victims now get clobbered for an annual invoice of £2,077 for the pleasure of brightening up our dreary roads. Given the typical ultra-low mileage these drivers actually drive, that's often more than a £1 per mile. (And that's even if they've called in to Avon Tuning to increase their MPG.)
Since the average dealer price paid for the 74 costliest tax-payers is £160,307, maybe that £2,077 forfeit is just a tune for the smallest violin in the world? After all, these buyers can clearly afford a bob or two. But the figures are eye-watering, all the same...
Our table (opposite) is dominated by European Supercars and the research comes from the buying comparison site motorway.com, coinciding with incoming laws to hike first-year road tax registration to £2,070 for anything emitting more than 255g of CO2 per kilometre.
MD Alex Buttle told Avon Tuning: "Take the Lamborghini Aventador, popular with Premiership footballers, as the 6.5 Litre V12 model spews out 370g of CO2 per kilometre. Meanwhile there are 13 Aston Martin models in the top road tax band, making these stylish motors some of the thirstiest. But let's face it, no-one buys one of these beefy gas guzzlers for their fuel efficiency or environmental credentials."
Buttle adds it's doubtful that the new tax level will make these buyers squirm. "The average on-the-road price of cars in the top VED band is £160,307. For example, the Rolls Royce Dawn 6.6 litre V12 Black Badge, emits one of the highest levels of CO2/km at 337g, and will set you back £312,535."
The research, he says, prompts the question of whether VED should be means tested. We're not convinced that'll go down too well in the Premier League car parks?
Here are the ten most-taxed models:
MODEL PRICE CO2
Lamborghini Aventador 6.5 V12 £287,163 370
Bentley Continental GTC Supersports £235,855 362
Maserati GranTurismo GTC Supersports £109,920 360
Ferrari GTC Lusso £232,500 350
Bentley Mulsanne 6.8 V8 EWB £278,175 344
Aston Martin Vantage 6.0 V12 S Coupe £142,170 343
Rolls Royce Dawn 6.6 V12 Black Badge £312,535 337
Maserati GranCabrio 4.7 V8 Sport £108,340 337
Bentley Flying Spur 6.0 £158,075 335
Aston Martin DB9 GT 6.0 V12 GT £143,055 333