Is this wrong? Worlds most expensive car - £20 million!

[wellyjen]

Billionaire philanthropy is a way of reputation laundering, precisely to avoid extra taxation, or worse case, the peasants turning up with pitchforks and torches. Also donating money means the billionaire decides where it is spent, so will go on the billionaires priorities. With taxation it will go on the governments priorities. Unless of course the billionaire donates money to the party and people in the government, in which case the billionaires priorities become the governments priorities too, including the priority of not taxing billionaires.
A little like a medieval king, after slaughtering his way across neighbouring countries and maybe putting down a rebellious baron or three, would try and give his soul a bit of a wash and brush up and take out some hellfire insurance by giving some money to the church. Well he did kill all those people across three counties, but look at this lovely cathedral, that will still be around hundreds of years later.

 

[tony from suffolk]

That's a story rich people & their media mouthpieces like to perpetrate.

Should read perpetuate…

 

[Cantclimbtom]

Point taken - but we don't know the context. For example, some ridiculously wealthy people are very philanthropic and make far more valuable charitable contributions. So perhaps they can be forgiven a "small" extravagance?

But I'd have no interest in such toys. I mean, how much caving gear could you fit into that tiny boot?

Probably enough for a personal kit and 200m rope in a big tackle bag and a few bits and bobs like wellies and helmet and more. I've been assured by someone wealthier than me! that luxury cars (excluding sports/hyper cars) are all designed to take a large sized golf bag/clubs or they don't sell.

 

[mikem]

Should read perpetuate…

& sometimes they actually do:

Billionaires’ fortune rises by 27% as UK's richest man moves to Monaco - Monaco Tribune

A new report by Swiss bank UBS and PwC finds that the world’s billionaires saw their wealth rise by 27% during the pandemic, hitting the $10 trillion

www.monaco-tribune.com

 

[Fjell]

& sometimes they actually do:

Billionaires’ fortune rises by 27% as UK's richest man moves to Monaco - Monaco Tribune

A new report by Swiss bank UBS and PwC finds that the world’s billionaires saw their wealth rise by 27% during the pandemic, hitting the $10 trillion

www.monaco-tribune.com

A far bigger problem is when they move their business too. Large numbers of startups and technology businesses are leaving the UK for (mainly) the US where there is more support for growth and less chance of your company getting nicked if it succeeds. It’s going to have severe ramifications over the medium to long term. You won’t have to worry about wealth here, it will be hard to detect. Even Mr Starmer seems to have twigged it.

More hopefully he said that we are going to have to start building new towns and cities in the green belt or we are stuffed. Lets see if he can overcome the Nimbyblob without getting thrown out of office.

 

[Fulk]

Errrr . . . I didn't realize he was in office.

 

[mikem]

Part of the housing problem is people living in homes bigger than their requirements, especially with more couples separating.

 

[Fjell]

Errrr . . . I didn't realize he was in office.

Forward planning.

 

[ChrisJC]

Part of the housing problem is people living in homes bigger than their requirements, especially with more couples separating.

A bigger problem is a chronic lack of houses, caused by a planning, political and lobbying system dead against them.

Chris.

 

[mikem]

In 2021 English population was 56 million, there were c.25 million dwellings, but less than 24 million were residential, so 2.33 people per home

 

[ChrisJC]

In 2021 English population was 56 million, there were c.25 million dwellings, but less than 24 million were residential, so 2.33 people per home

If we assume that is perfect, since then the population has increased by 1.2million. So an extra 500,000 houses are needed to maintain the status quo.

They haven't so it hasn't.

Chris.

 

[tony from suffolk]

& sometimes they actually do:

Billionaires’ fortune rises by 27% as UK's richest man moves to Monaco - Monaco Tribune

A new report by Swiss bank UBS and PwC finds that the world’s billionaires saw their wealth rise by 27% during the pandemic, hitting the $10 trillion

www.monaco-tribune.com

...even when they have a favourable tax regime in the UK. The idea that the very rich, so-called 'Wealth creators" will desert the UK in droves is a fallacy promoted by the very rich.

 

[mikem]

Yes, they just use other loopholes to avoid paying it.

On housing:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7671/

 

[royfellows]

Part of the housing problem is people living in homes bigger than their requirements, especially with more couples separating.

There is a shot that has hit a target. I have rooms I seldon go into and often feel a bit guilty. When my wife was alive there was only the two of us, now I am on my own.

The mention of a golf bag made me smile. I an updating the entertainment and security system on the Seraph and had to get the rear seats out to get to an ECU,. Why was it I wasn't at all surprised to find golf tees. Spare wheel well was full of them as well. Everything tells a tale. Do the wealthy have any 'real' interests.

 

[Mark Wright]

There is a shot that has hit a target. I have rooms I seldon go into and often feel a bit guilty. When my wife was alive there was only the two of us, now I am on my own.

The mention of a golf bag made me smile. I an updating the entertainment and security system on the Seraph and had to get the rear seats out to get to an ECU,. Why was it I wasn't at all surprised to find golf tees. Spare wheel well was full of them as well. Everything tells a tale. Do the wealthy have any 'real' interests.

The golf tees are for resting your balls on when you are driving.

 

[royfellows]

Rolls Royce think of everything!

 

[ttxela2]

I've driven (not owned) a few high end luxury cars and I have to say the experience is very nice, especially for longer journeys. I'm not sure quite what this brings to the party for the 20 million that spending significantly less wouldn't get you other than the prestige and exclusivity, both of which are more percieved than tangible. I suspect this will only ever impress other billionaires though as most folk won't know what it is and would be more impressed by a more recognisable Roller.

As for billionaires, I guess they are necessary if you want large corporations. I suspect I'd give up after making a couple of million and just doss around taking it easy (which is probably why I'll never make a couple of million....).

 

[Roger W]

I have to say, that much money would finance quite a few caving expeditions...

 

[BikinGlynn]

It's a statement of wealth. It's not worth that much. It's the extreme end of the type of person who needs a shiny Audi Q8 on their drive to impress the neighbours.

Chris.

I agree, I mean how many landys can one guy own!

 

[royfellows]

I aught to point out that this car is not exactly unique, the "Droptail" is a series of which there are at least two so far. This raises questions about what the owners are getting for such a huge amount of money