After the chase

Who is actually allowed to borrow such cars?

A Mercedes-Benz AMG C63s (symbolic image) - the 17-year-old raced through the provincial capital in exactly this model.(Bild: Daimler AG)

After the spectacular chase with luxury cars in Klagenfurt on Thursday evening, questions remain unanswered - such as how to get hold of such powerful cars ...

A Mercedes Benz AMG C63s, which a 17-year-old Syrian in a drug-fueled frenzy crashed into a pole after a chase with the police on Thursday evening, costs over 100,000 euros - we reported. You have to pay a similar amount for the BMW M3 Competition in which his companion - a Russian (19) living in Villach, who is still on the run - sped through the streets of Klagenfurt at over 120 km/h.

Empty parking spaces at the car rental company, which is now missing two cars after the chase.(Bild: Jennifer Kapellari)

As the "Krone" found out, a mutual friend of the two youngsters had rented the luxury cars from a company in the provincial capital - how else could the two hooligans without driving licenses have got hold of the 500 hp cars? Although every driver's license holder is legally allowed to use these vehicle classes in Austria, there are restrictions when it comes to renting them out.

If you have no experience with luxury cars and are a novice driver, you will rarely be able to rent such a car. This mainly has to do with the insurance of the cars.

Autovermieter aus Kärnten

It has to do with the insurance, as a car rental company from Carinthia explains to the "Krone". Anyone under the age of 25 - with some providers the limit is even 27 - usually has little chance of hiring such powerful cars. This is because in the event of damage, the insurance company will then drop out, meaning that the companies are left with the repair costs and would have to take expensive legal action.

For young car enthusiasts, the deductible and deposit are therefore higher than for experienced drivers. "Of course, a valid driving license must always be presented," emphasizes the car rental company in the "Krone" interview. Without additionally registering this with the rental company, no other person is allowed behind the wheel - presumably to prevent the very thing that caused such a stir in Klagenfurt.