Just noticed that Nederland doesn't have any Superb engines larger than 150bhp. Why is that? Other counties have both the 190 + 272bhp versions.

As a kid I remember asking my Dad on a camping holiday why each time we got stuck behind a caravan crawling up a gentle incline it invariably had Dutch plates. He told me the Dutch only buy small engines as they don't have any hills to speak of* and don't need the power.

 

*Outside Limburg - I also remember being baffled by a trip to Valkenburg that demonstrated there are in fact some hills in the Netherlands.

I wonder if the tax system is responsible, last time I noticed a strange trend in foreign car ownership a local told me about the tax laws and all became clear. 

In the Netherlands we pay on top of sales tax also BPM tax for a car. The amount of BPM tax is related to the amount of emmissions. Also there is a Diesel surcharge. So larger, more powerfull engines become ridicoulously expensive.

ok, thanks for your replies. I'm currently struggling with a company rule stating <140g CO2, even after WLTP, which is quite difficult depending on which country (apparently it differs) and extra equipment in the car.

Edited 23 September, 20196 yr by mrwee