The German Ministry of Finance has informed the other ministries in writing about the increase in price limits for new limousines for next year.
The government gives in to increasingly expensive company cars
– emphasized the portal of the daily newspaper Bild, informing that ministers, secretaries of state and senior officials in the federal government will be able to spend much more money on new company cars in 2024 than is currently the case.
The Treasury Department justified the new, higher limits on business limousines primarily with inflation and the move to e-cars, “Bild” found.
In the case of the minister, in 2024 the limit for buying, renting or leasing a business limousine will be increased to PLN 105,000. euros (plus additional costs for radio equipment, blue lights, special markings and equipment).
Ministers can order Langversion limousines from Audi, BMW or Mercedes.
This year there was still a limit of 83,000. euros. In five years, this price limit has almost doubled, from 59.8 thousand. euros!
Bild noted.
Hundreds of thousands of euros for limousines
Secretaries of State can spend up to $98,000 on a new car. euros, or 21 thousand. euros more than in the current year. For top officials (ministerial directors, government spokespersons), the new limit will be 72,000. euros (14.5 thousand more than now).
Ministers “usually drive the super-comfortable L-versions of expensive limousines, with more legroom,” notes the daily.
The list prices of these vehicles are often considerably above the price limit of the Ministry of Finance. However, car manufacturers give the government substantial discounts for advertising reasons and thus manage to stay within the limits
Bild found out.
Importantly, the price limit set by the Ministry of Finance does not apply to special armored limousines in which, for example, the chancellor or some “particularly vulnerable” ministers are transported. These “special limousines” are purchased centrally by the Federal Criminal Investigation Department and assigned to persons entitled to protection.
For example, German ministers currently use the following service limousines: Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) – Audi Q8 with electric drive and Audi A8 with hybrid drive, Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil (SPD) – Mercedes S-Class hybrid, Minister of Agriculture Cem Oezdemir (Greens) – Audi e-tron with electric drive, Minister of the Family Lisa Paus (Greens): BMW i4 eDrive40 (electric drive), Minister of the Environment Steffi Lemke (Greens): Audi e-tron with electric drive, and Minister of Housing Klara Geywitz (SPD) – BMW 7 Series.
Limos for sale
For security reasons, no information was provided about the official vehicle of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. It is also not known what kind of car the Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach drives. The latter has received many threats (including death threats) during the coronavirus pandemic.
Luxury limousines serve ministers for a year or two, then they are sold – often at purchase price or even more
Image emphasized. Used ministerial cars can be found on the federal government website vebeg.de.
According to a report by the Ministry of Finance, ministries and related institutions only sold company cars for 32.5 million euros in 2022.
The realized income was even 2.2 million euros higher than originally budgeted
discovered the portal.
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edy/PAP
Source: wPolityce