[//M]

Spotted this Bentley Flying Spur in Pune.

[Rosso Corsa]

Originally Posted by //M

Spotted this Bentley Flying Spur in Pune.

That's not a Consulate vehicle per se, its the personal car of an Honorary Consul General. These people are locals appointed as Consul heads for a country who doesn't have a consulate in India.

For such missions, the Consul General has very little diplomatic work, aside from representing the said country at any event. Visas are outsourced to a visa processing centre.

[contangoback]

You end up giving more than receiving in such cases. I know a few influential businessmen who are CG's of small non-descript countries in the world - they lend their office, get yellow plates, can park anywhere, no challans etc. and overall a status symbol to hob nob with bigger consul generals.

[darklord]

Not an import and certainly not a supercar (contrary to what some of its drivers tend to believe), but is an Ambassador's official vehicle all the same:

On March 2, security officers at Parliament House came across an unusual situation. Outside the main gate was an auto-rickshaw — painted white, bearing a diplomatic number plate and flying the flag of Mexico. The driver was wearing a suit and the passenger was Mexican Ambassador Melba Pria.

http://indianexpress.com/photos/tren...de-to-work-is/

Pria says painting and remodelling the autorickshaw took less than a week, although the process of buying one was considerably longer. “We had to select the model and then file papers with the MEA for diplomatic plates. The process took more than a month to complete,” she said.

http://indianexpress.com/article/ind....sB1uAJIy.dpuf

[KiloAlpha]

In December 2015, had been to Chennai to renew my USA business visa. While waiting in the queue which snakes its way behind the car parking area, couldn't but help noticing that a majority of the vehicles with CD/CC plates were Toyotas!

The fleet was comprised almost entirely of Landcruiser, Prius, and Innova. Apart from a couple of VW Transporter vans. Saw just one American car - if it could be termed "American" at all - a Ford Ecosport!

I was under the impression that, when high ranking consular officials move around, the vehicle they use makes a statement about their country. I would therefore have expected to see at least a couple of armoured Chevy Tahoe/Suburbans. Surprised to see just Toyotas in the consulate of a country that loves to beat its chest about patriotism!

[Turbanator]

I guess Toyota is more American then Japanese ,add the excellent reputation of Brand Toyota - due to security and other concerns they will never want their cars going repeatedly to service centres

Have a look

New Research Finds Toyota Motor Corp (ADR) Is More American Than Ford Or Chrysler

According to a Fortune story, Bill Fray, Toyota’s general manager of Toyota Motor Sales in the US said the trend “reinforces the Americanization story of Toyota,” and added, “we operate ten plants in the U.S., build more than 2 million vehicles here, and 71% of our sales [here in America] are vehicles built in North America.”

http://www.bidnessetc.com/46692-new-...-ford-or-chry/

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by darklord

Not an import and certainly not a supercar (contrary to what some of its drivers tend to believe)

Same news with video in NDTV

[Rosso Corsa]

Came across this LHD Toyota Corolla in Bandra, Mumbai last month.

[sujay bhandare]

Happened to come across a nicely accessorized Toyota Hiace. It was of consulate of Independent state of Samoa.

[Bhatman]

Hello fellow BHPians
I recently participated in an spot sale of Toyota Crown Royal Saloon in one of the embassy in Delhi. It is December 1999 Japanese imported 4-Door Automatic mid-size luxury sedan with 3000cc inline 6 Cylinder engine with 92838 Kms on the odo.
We were just allowed to take a good look at the car and no test drives were permitted. The car looked very good both from inside and outside. Since this was an open auction, the bidding closed at around 3.5 lakh in my favour.
Subsequently on further inquiry with the embassy for transfer of ownership, I was told to contact the Mall Road RTO office in Delhi where all embassy cars are registered. After visiting the RTO office, I found that since the car was 1999 model and more than 15 years old, no further fitness or re-registration is permitted. Even NOC will not be issued for re-registration in any other state. This is as per the latest NGT orders of 2014 where in any vehicle more than 15 years in NCR is not to be re -registered anywhere.
However, I was informed that NOC could have been issued if the vehicle was a day less than 15 years but no further fitness is possible for any vehicle; petrol or diesel which has completed 15 years of calender life.
Now there seems to be an impasse in the situation. The embassy is insisting that I should pay the bid amount and pick up the car. While I am firm that I have bid for this car for personal use and that embassy should facilitate transfer of ownership by getting it roadworthy. Or else the embassy should have clearly declared this as a scrap sale.
So what do you advice

[harit]

Originally Posted by Bhatman

Hello fellow BHPians
I recently participated in an spot sale of Toyota Crown Royal Saloon in one of the embassy .......the embassy should have clearly declared this as a scrap sale.
So what do you advice

I am just butting in here, but is one able to register ex-embassy cars withoput payment of excise or customs duty? I am sure that there is some sort of issue here, and would recommend that you get this clarified for yourself as well.

Cheers harit

[Bhatman]

@Harit The payment of excise or customs duty varies from country to country as some of the countries have a reciprocal treaty with our country for exemption of custom duty on rwsale of imported cars after a minimum period of 4-5 years. Whereas some other countries like UK can sell embassy vehicles only after payment of custom duty on the depreciated book value assessed at the time of the sale irrespective of years of use.
For example the custom duty for a used 12 year old imported diesel vehicle above 3000 cc without any reciprocal treaty is approx 200 %.

[Rosso Corsa]

Originally Posted by sujay bhandare

Happened to come across a nicely accessorized Toyota Hiace. It was of consulate of Independent state of Samoa.
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I've never seen a Counsulate Car on normal plates. Was that the Honorary Consul General's car?

[v12]

Some important info shared by Speedy :

Originally Posted by speedy

The Rolls Royces are not consulate cars but normal cars with normal nomber plates and owned by Indian citizens. The owners are just bestowed with the Honarary position by the country due to their business dealing with that perticular country. My relative has the Hon CC of Philipines, this does not make him a Consulate person..

Originally Posted by v12

Hey Speedy,

Thanks for the information. I always thought that these were Consulate cars - but also wondered why they were not running CC plates.

A few questions though :

• Do such vehicles have a different set (series) of registration?
• If the owner is bestowed with such a position - why does it have to reflect on the registration plate? - I know it maybe an Indian mentality where a lot of people display their position / party logo on their number plates.
• Do these cars enjoy immunity in traffic offences?

Originally Posted by speedy

The series for the nomber plates are normal series for anyone, no special treatment as they are not considered as consulate cars.

I might be wrong but this is the norm by the consulates and the Indian Govt. The person bestowed with this position can act as a proxy incase the Consule General of that country is not available, as per my limited knowledge on this the said person is treated as a consulate and country representative. My relative does not like it on the car but has to do so.

They do not get any special treatment for any traffic offences commited. The cars are treated as any other normal vehicle running on the roads. As you would also be aware the cops dont hassle cars with hon cc plates or cc plates and treat them as VIP's and pay a blind eye to offenses.

[h@r$h@l]

Spotted this at Mariott in Ahmedabad couple of weeks ago.

Not sure which embassy it belongs to.

Regards,