Chahe sent me this picture ten days ago from the Beirut Airport asking me why there’s a plate number on the car. For those who don’t know, lottery draws on new cars and bikes are held at the airport on a regular basis.
While checking the Scuderia Phoenicia post by Mark, I spotted the same car with an identical plate number on display in a showroom on the Dora highway. I think this is Antypas’ showroom and the picture was taken in April.
That doesn’t look right, especially that once you win the car, you still have to pay the customs duty.
Update: The Beirut Duty Free have clarified the situation by stating the following:
Dear All, Thank you for highlighting the promotion. We can assure you that the Car you mentione dand all other prizes on offer in the Duty Free are brand new and has never been previously owned or registered in any country. The below is a staement form Lotus company on the issue:
“Regarding your expressed concern on the subject of the Lotus Evora GTE edition that has been photographed at Ste. J. Antypas showroom in Dora, please note the following. Ste. J. Antypas are sub-agents for Lotus cars in Lebanon and the mentioned car, among others, was on display in their showroom as part of the launch events related to Lotus Cars Lebanon. Ste. J. Antypas are eligible to display our new Lotus cars on consignment by Lotus Cars Lebanon. We confirm that the same car that is now on display in Rafic Hariri Airport – Duty Free Zone is NOT pre-owned.â€
I hope that this clreas up any concern that you may have.
I think the car mish imgamrakeh which is why it’s on foreign plates. But yeah if the car has plates on it then it’s not new which is really weird the draw is on a “like new” car.
Given that the Lebanese are not know at all for being corrupt, I say this is what is happening:
Antypas gets used supercar from abroad for 200,000$, sneaks it without paying custom fees. No one buys it so MOC takes it and displays it at the airport (collects 250,000$ worth of lottery tickets).
Whomever wins it probably can’t afford paying the custom fees, sells it back to Antypas for 170000$.
MOC don’t pay gamrak?
Those guys are really thieves…
Don’t u only have to pay customs if you’re registering the car? So it’s not really thievery because who ever wants to register the car they won in lebanon needs to pay customs or they can ship it abroad and not pay lebanese customs but the customs of the country they will register the car in.
Dear All, Thank you for highlighting the promotion. We can assure you that the Car you mentione dand all other prizes on offer in the Duty Free are brand new and has never been previously owned or registered in any country.
The below is a staement form Lotus company on the issue:
“Regarding your expressed concern on the subject of the Lotus Evora GTE edition that has been photographed at Ste. J. Antypas showroom in Dora, please note the following.
Ste. J. Antypas are sub-agents for Lotus cars in Lebanon and the mentioned car, among others, was on display in their showroom as part of the launch events related to Lotus Cars Lebanon.
Ste. J. Antypas are eligible to display our new Lotus cars on consignment by Lotus Cars Lebanon.
We confirm that the same car that is now on display in Rafic Hariri Airport – Duty Free Zone is NOT pre-owned.”
I hope that this clreas up any concern that you may have.
Take back more…
Beirut Duty Free,
Thank you for the clarification but still why is there a plate number on the car?
chou baddak fiyon kizzeinbin .. s7ab l carfax taba3a
Dear All,
Thannks for your patience, below is the explanation as to why there was a number plate on the car.
“In response to the query, the GTE is a special race car that was still subject to homologation when ordered and provided to Lebanon.
As a consequence this vehicle was registered prior to going to “Mansory†(who is a LOTUS partner for Special Modifications) to have the GTE enhancements made to the car. The car went to Germany for the modifications.
The registration would then have allowed it to be used when returned to the UK in GTE guise should it have been passed to another dealer,As it transpired, we took the car prior to it being allocated elsewhere.
The car is definitely new, and was registered in the UK (without being used) for the following reasons:
– At that time they did not know we are bringing the car to Lebanon
– For Homologation reasons as is based on a race car
– For modification reasons since that car was transferred to Germany for the modifications
Thank you.
Thanks a lot for the clarification. I posted it on the front page.
https://blogbaladi.com/najib/lebanon/clarification-from-beirut-duty-free-on-the-lotus-evora-gte/