Volvo Car Corporation
In 1964 I flew with my cousin Rick to Göteborg, Sweden, to pick up his first car: a new red Volvo S122 with four doors, twin carburetors (tvilling carbureators in Swedish) and a four-on-the-floor manual transmission. Under Volvo’s then-new overseas delivery program the purchase price was $2,100. After driving around Europe for several weeks, Rick dropped me off in Paris where I rented a tiny Citroën 2-CV for the remainder of my two-month trip. My cousin returned his Volvo to Göteborg so the manufacturer could arrange shipment to the United States.
The overseas pickup saved Rick several hundred dollars — equivalent to buying a new car for about $13,800 in today’s dollars, adjusted by the consumer price index — and more than covered his travel costs, including airfare. At the time he was the only person I knew who had arranged to pick up a new car in Europe, and I envied him for the experience and for being able to drive that Volvo in the United States for many years afterward.
Today, several thousand Americans travel to Europe each year to pick up new cars at modern factory welcome centers. These overseas delivery programs offer travel perks and conveniences that weren’t available decades ago. Owners typically drive their new cars around the Continent for a few weeks, then leave the vehicle with a licensed shipping agent who prepares and protects it for the trans-Atlantic voyage on a car-carrying ship.
Below is an overview of European and Scandinavian manufacturers that offer overseas delivery programs. For buyers who want to tour Europe in their own new vehicle — particularly those considering BMW, Volvo or Mercedes — the cost savings and travel benefits can be substantial. Beyond savings, the chance to spend several weeks exploring Europe with your partner is an experience many owners describe as priceless.
Audi
Audi launched its European delivery program in October 2006. Dealers typically offer a 3–5 percent reduction off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, with the final selling price set by the U.S. dealer. Audi provides one night’s lodging, some meals, airport pickup and 15 days of insurance coverage for driving in Europe. If the vehicle remains in Europe beyond 90 days, Audi may not be able to refund VAT, may be unable to offer a shipping discount, and extended insurance will be charged to the buyer. Delivery after drop-off at one of Audi’s 14 European locations usually takes about eight to ten weeks.
Audi recommends visiting a dealer three to four months before your trip to place your order. Production typically begins about 60 days after ordering, and Audi will collect passport copies for all travelers and driver’s license copies for those who will drive. Buyers who collect their cars at the Audi Forum in Ingolstadt can choose a chauffeured transfer from Munich Airport, complimentary accommodations, a factory tour and a visit to the Audi Museum on pickup day.
BMW
BMW’s European delivery program, centered at BMW Welt near Munich, often offers savings of about 7 percent off MSRP. Amenities include a factory tour and BMW Museum visit, and 14 days of comprehensive insurance for driving in Europe, with optional additional coverage at the buyer’s expense. Models with onboard navigation typically receive Europe-ready programming.
The purchase price under BMW’s program includes the cost of shipping the vehicle back to the United States, customs clearance, duty and marine insurance. Shipping typically takes six to eight weeks to East Coast dealers and eight to ten weeks to West Coast dealers. BMW provides pre-planned driving itineraries and partners with an airline promotion for travelers picking up cars in Europe.
Only vehicles manufactured overseas qualify for BMW’s program, so models built in Spartanburg, S.C. — such as the X3, X5 and X6 — are ineligible. BMW motorcycles are not part of the program either.
Owners often praise the BMW Welt pickup experience: the dramatic reveal, a short celebratory drive on the Welt track, and the chance to drive a car designed for European roads. According to BMW, about 2,000 customers a year pick up cars through the program, most often 3-series and 5-series models.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz was among the first to offer European delivery. Current program benefits typically include about 7 percent off MSRP, one night’s accommodation at a choice of hotels, breakfast or lunch at the Sindelfingen Delivery Center restaurant, museum tickets and a full tank of gas. The cost includes return shipping to a U.S. dealer, marine insurance, customs duties and clearance, port handling fees and up to 15 days of insurance coverage in Europe. Customers can extend their stay with additional insurance to use the car in Europe for up to a year.
Porsche
Porsche offers delivery at the Zuffenhausen New Car Delivery Center near Stuttgart for sports models and at the Leipzig Welcome Center for Cayenne and Carrera GT models. Orders begin through a U.S. or Canadian dealer, which coordinates with Porsche Cars North America to start delivery paperwork. Depending on the location, buyers visit the Porsche Museum or tour the Leipzig factory, and Leipzig pickups can include driving on a Porsche FIA-compliant test track and an off-road circuit. After VIP dining, a delivery consultant presents the newly finished car.
Porsche’s program includes airport transfer to the factory, one night’s hotel, 16 days of full insurance in Europe, shipment to North America (free if dropped off in Stuttgart; additional charges may apply for other drop-off cities), shipping insurance and help planning a travel itinerary. Unlike some other programs, Porsche does not discount MSRP; instead, a small delivery fee based on the model is added.
Volvo
Volvo’s overseas delivery program began in 1956 and has delivered more than 300,000 vehicles to tourists, diplomats and military personnel. Volvo’s tourist program includes two complimentary round-trip flights to Göteborg, Sweden, access to SAS business-class lounges at U.S. airports, and one night’s accommodation in Göteborg where pickup occurs. These flight and lounge amenities are specific to Volvo’s tourist program and do not apply to military, diplomat or expatriate pickup options.
At the Göteborg delivery center buyers may test-drive on a private Volvo track and tour the factory. Volvo operates 15 additional pick-up points across Europe for an extra fee; shipping back to the U.S. is free from Göteborg but may incur charges if the car is left at other drop-off locations. Buyers can order through a local dealer or a designated overseas delivery representative who handles paperwork and coordinates delivery to the buyer’s nearest U.S. Volvo dealer.
Owners who have used Volvo’s program often mention meaningful savings and memorable driving routes through Germany, Luxembourg and beyond.
Ferrari and Maserati
Buyers interested in picking up a Ferrari or Maserati in Italy should contact U.S. dealers for details on European delivery options, prices and specific amenities. Programs and offerings vary by manufacturer and model.
For new-car buyers who enjoy travel and driving, overseas delivery programs provide more than potential savings — they offer a unique way to combine purchasing a vehicle with an immersive European road trip and factory experience, all arranged by the manufacturer to simplify logistics and shipping back to the United States.