The Maiden Voyage: A Luxurious First Drive Experience

Before imports became common, many European automakers offered “European” delivery service to North American buyers so they could test drive their car in Europe before it was shipped stateside (and they could save enough money to pay for the trip). While many makers have since canceled those programs (and the discount days are over for those that remain), when you are talking about arranging for a first drive in your vehicle’s homeland at the very high end, top carmakers can still be quite accommodating.

Porsche 911 to Munich

While Porsche’s European Delivery options at U.S. dealers include no price discounts (in fact you will pay an extra fee), airport transfers, a night at a hotel, and 16 days of insurance are included. You can pick up your order, say, 911 in Stuttgart- Zuffenhausen (where 718s are also made, while Porsche’s Leipzig factory is home to the Panamera, Cayenne, and Macan programs). The Zuffenhausen Experience includes a tour of the factory, lunch at the VIP Casino and passes to the Porsche Museum, but your drop-off for shipment to the U.S. can be made at the factory in Leipzig, or any of 16 other locations for an additional fee. As always, these plans start with the local dealership you are buying your 911 from. And, as always, getting the exact dates you want might be challenging since the program is quite popular. After that, the offer is pretty open-ended in terms of how long you drive the car in Europe.

For a shorter maiden voyage, while Stuttgart is an interesting city in and of itself, Munich is only a little less than three hours away by Autobahn. Try to avoid going to Munich during Oktoberfest, and try to pick up some authentic Bavarian fashions at the popular Almliebe (Hochbrückenstrasse 10, 80331), which has managed to elevate folksy German wear into a fashionable realm. The starting price for a new Porsche 911 Carrera is $120,000, with an additional $1,500 for the European delivery program fee. porsche.com

Aston Martin Vanquish to Scotland

Official details on an Aston Martin European delivery program are very thin on the ground. But, when you’re talking about, say, a new 2025 V12 Vanquish and a whole new, advanced power plant, a U.K. maiden voyage might be a request your local dealership will want to champion for you. Aston Martin’sstate-of-the-art factory is in Gaydon, just south of Birmingham, England, but your new Vanquish should eat up the 300-some miles to Scotland’s Western Highlands in short order. That is because your first drive in an Aston Martin should really include a rip through the incredibly scenic Glen Coe Valley (if you saw the 2012 James Bond epic Skyfall, you’ll remember Daniel Craig navigating his vintage Aston Martin DB-5 to Bond’s fictional home in the valley).

Sunny or dour, Glen Coe Valley and the village of Glencoe delivers. While Edinburgh might seem like the likely final destination, ever since Glasgow served as a European City of Culture in 1990, its tough reputation has grown to include a vibrant arts and dining scene, albeit with a welcome dose of Glaswegian authenticity. astonmartin.com

Rolls-Royce Ghost to the Cotswolds

Given the always bespoke nature of designing and purchasing a Rolls-Royce, a simple European delivery option request will certainly not be unheard of at your local dealership. With a basic starting price of $352,000 for a Ghost, after the additional cost of making it your own, you can probably ask for a favor or two. Favor one: The factory is located just adjacent to the fabled Goodwood Motor Circuit southwest of London; see if you can score a test drive in your Ghost right on the track. Favor two: Rolls-Royce has its own relationship with 007, so see if you can take a quick two-hour jump up to the Stoke Park Country Club for a few holes.

It’s the site of the infamous Bond vs. Goldfinger golf match in 1964’s Goldfinger. The Bond villain parked his 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III in the same lot you will use. After that, the bucolic glories of the Cotswolds and Welsh border are only another hour and change away. rolls-roycemotorcars.com