They are expensive because of the way we tax cars in general over here.
Weight, engine horsepower and the amount of Carbon monoxide determines the amount of tax you pay on a new car.
For Co2, the tax goes like this: Current exchange is $100 USD= 550 Norwegian Crowns. I am rounding up and down to the nearest whole dollar. The tax is pr unit (gram/HP/Kg)
First 120 gram 0-120 $7.20,-
Next 20 gram 121-140 $35,-
Next 40 gram 141-180 $98,-
Over 180 gram 181-osv. $256,-
This is pr gram.
The HP tax goes like this:
0-88 $22,-
89-122 $91,-
123-177 $219,-
178- $457,-
Weight goes like this:
0-1150 kg $6,-
1151-1400 kg $13,-
1401-1500 kg $26,-
over 1500 kg $31,-
So the ideal car is one that emits 140 grams of Co2, has 122 horsepower and weighs 1400 kg meaning that most cars here are underpowered and small. There are few big cars on the road here, but there are some Landcruisers (The two seater landcruiser starts at $98.000,-. With all seats, it's $200.000,-) X6, Volvo XC90's (starts at $110.000,-)
American cars usually have "big" engines, have more weight and since the Co2 emissions aren't really registered anywhere (California emissions database isn't valid here) you need to use the old system where you tax on how big your engine is (cubic). Say for a Cadilllac STS (98-04 which i know has a 4,5 litre engine, the tax alone even for a used import is $50.000,- alone just for the engine size. ( It's my dream car).
You do get deductions on how old the car is which span from 0-10 years. After 10 years, the deductions are 85% meaning there quite many older american cars here that people take good care of. But a $2000,- beater in the US can sell for tens of thousands of USD depending on how well it is taken care of.
The 81 model van above was bought last year for $14.000,-
Our cars. One 06 Opel/Vauxhall Zafira (two seater) weighs 1600 kg, has 120 hp and emits 144 grams of carbon monoxide. Our other car a 06 Opel/Vauxhall Vectra weighs 1520 kg, has a 150 hp engine and emits 154 grams of carbon monoxide. The first one, we bought used for $30.000,- with 32K km on it (New at $45.000) the second one we bought new for $53.000,- on a clearance (MSRP for $68.000)
The cheapest car new car you can find costs $22.000,- (two seater work car)
http://www.finn.no/finn/car/object?finnkode=14392065&sid=xz10cabUMNm_433369&WT.svl=Linkand the most expensive one that i can find here is a used Koenigsegg at $1.8 million USD.
http://www.finn.no/finn/car/object?finnkode=14732278&sid=xz10cabUMNm_309261&WT.svl=Link
