How Do You Hide BHP?
In the continuing saga of an apparently cash-strapped Italian government and its allegedly tax-evading populace (see this column last month), I note yet another nuance: Car owners there now have an annual superbollo (Italian: surtax) of €20 for each kW of power beyond 185 kW. Put into good honest ’Merican, this is around $ 18.72/bhp beyond 248 bhp.
Gad. The pleasures of your nice tame Ford Mustang’s 420 bhp would dock you an added $ 3220 every year. Don’t even ask about your Lamborghini Aventador. Or, if you insist, its annual superbollo is $ 8293.
Do you wonder why all those cool cars in Italy carry Swiss plates?