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Porsche is moving ahead with the next stage of its legal challenge against the increased cost of the London congestion charge, seeking a judicial review against Ken Livingstone’s proposal to increase the charge to £25-a-day for vehicles in the highest CO2 emissions band.
The increased charge will effect almost all of Porsche’s current range, only the basic 2.7-litre Boxster and Cayman slip under the 225g/km upper threshold for the £8-a-day charge. After previous legal wrangling, including Por...Read the full article

Go Go Go Porsche!

Take down this stupid Kenocracy Con Charge!

Its not a green tax more like daylight robbery!

Am I the only person here who thinks that Ken (self-appointed-***-elected defender of the capital's environment) is probably rubbing his hands that Porsche (highly successful maker of hugely environmentally irresponsible sports cars run by, generally, fairly rich people) is going to give him his day in court where he can bring forth all kinds of evidence about the damage that their vehicles cause.

If you were a believer in conspiracy theories, you could even argue that Ken had somehow engineered the whole thing.

I have limited sympathy with Porsche on this issue, if they had taken a pro-active view on the environmental effect of their cars they wouldn't be in a position where they are having to fight this.

Look at BMW for example; you would have to by a 540i before you go over the CO2 £25 a day limit. Even the X5 3.0d is okay for £8 a day. If BMW can manage to get such vehicles down to these levels why can't Porsche? It just highlights their lack of environmental concern which is highlighted by that gas guzzling Cayenne (which, I might add is rediculously urgly to boot), they don't even offer a mildly frugal version of it!

 

They are the most enviromently friend supercars and use flat-six technology!

Jaggie:

They are the most environmentally friendly supercars and use flat-six technology!

Porsche's problem - which they have resolutely failed to tackle in any meaningful way - is that they make supercars that sell in quite high numbers. I don't think many people can get worked up about grossly polluting V12 cars that are only made in dozens or maybe hundreds but Porsches of all kinds are sold by tens of thousands.

That is the crux of the problem. Bentley (with Continental GT production heading into 5 figures) are going to be in a similar position.

CO2 isn't really 'pollution' though, but a high CO2 output does indicate high energy consumption. Diesel buses cause pollution...
 

RobotBoogie:

Porsche's problem - which they have resolutely failed to tackle in any meaningful way - is that they make supercars that sell in quite high numbers. I don't think many people can get worked up about grossly polluting V12 cars that are only made in dozens or maybe hundreds but Porsches of all kinds are sold by tens of thousands.

 

I can see your point because they're an easy target because of this. The 'Greenies' love picking on these!

 I will go as far to say that of Porsche turn this around I promise to buy a Porsche for my next car.  Regarding the accusations that their cars aren't "green" I bet a lot of 25 yr old Porsche's are still around when Ford are pumping out their Mark 9 Mondeo.  Quality lasts, and therefore has a better whole life impact on the environment.

soggydog:

 I bet a lot of 25 yr old Porsche's are still around when Ford are pumping out their Mark 9 Mondeo.  Quality lasts, and therefore has a better whole life impact on the environment.

A very good point, surely the environmental impact has to take into account how long these cars last, as the Co2 on producing new cars is bound to be very high.

 

soggydog:

Regarding the accusations that their cars aren't "green" I bet a lot of 25 yr old Porsche's are still around when Ford are pumping out their Mark 9 Mondeo. Quality lasts, and therefore has a better whole life impact on the environment.

Not wanting to pick on you, Soggy, but this is the kind of generalisation that does no-one any good. Working out the real lifetime environmental impact of a car is incredibly difficult. There is a good argument that the manufacturing needs to be included in any measure that we use but this kind of back of a fag packet calculation is just pub talk.

To be fair I think the whole climate issue is "back of the fag packet calculation" ;-)  The general consensus is that the use of motor vehicles accounts for 0.6% of global C02 output, but 90% of the attention!   My point is that if Ken can bring his unproven metrics to the party, so can anyone.  And I think this is where Porsche jumped in (bravely considering their product demographic), and are asking for proof of the alleged benefits.  It should be an interesting case if it gets to court, and may set precedents which ever way the decision falls.