Over the first weekend of February 2013, the headlines were about Lewis Hamilton and his romance with Nicole Scherzinger!
Lewis Hamilton, everyone has heard of him…formula1, fast-cars and talented pilot.
So, what happened? He didn’t win a race but purchased a Bombardier CL-600. In other words, he bought a private jet for £20 million.
As he has signed a £60 million contract with Mercedes in
September 2012, this kind of treat is not an obstacle to his income. Moreover,
living in Monaco is a plus as there is no income tax to pay,
however it
is no tax haven as some people could say. There is a VAT rate of 19.6 per
cent on all products and services – as the Principality shares this system with
France.
Being the owner of such a plane can be seen as a good and useful buy. It is rather fast: 500mph! Of course, there is the CO2 emission factor, but Bombardier is aware of the carbon footprint situation and is undertaken initiatives to promote greater improvement.
Hamilton who even decided to have a personal registration went for G-LCDH (Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton). This Bombardier is not a toy to keep in a warehouse. The main reason is to be able to jet back and forth from Monaco to Los Angeles where Scherzinger works. He absolutely splashed some cash because he opted for the luxury version – top of the range: bed, plasma screens, bar…etc.
His aim is to travel comfortably and fast to see his girlfriend. Some people might see this as a waste of money and/or even arrogancy. Living so far apart is not the ideal way to keep a couple together, but if he has the means to get the right product at the right price…why not?! For info, despite having an important contract with the German car manufacturer, he even looked at saving some money – which is a good sign – by having the jet delivered on the Isle of Man: saving a huge VAT bill as the island charges less tax than the mainland. A clever thought!
Lewis Hamilton is part of the sports and entertainment world/ industry and celebrities’ lifestyle has nothing in common with an ordinary working person. Some fans will be envious, which can be understandable. Similar situation when David Beckham buys a new car, mansion, or get a new tattoo done. People like to have something in common with their idols. But getting a plane is on a different scale and usually that can be frustrating because out of reach. But Hamilton is not doing that to be admired or criticized but for his own life and wellbeing. Something rather great when the cash flow is not an obstacle. And as the media are always trying to get the best/freshest information when it comes to rich and famous, this was an opportunity which couldn’t be missed.
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