A Luxembourg resident has just learned the hard way that crossing a customs border at the wheel of a Ferrari without preparation can cost as much as the car itself. €124,000 settled at the roadside. In cash.
The facts: a Ferrari, a border, an invoice.
In early September 2025, a man in his sixties domiciled in Luxembourg crossed the border between Switzerland and Germany at the wheel of a black Ferrari valued at an estimated 195,000 Swiss francs — roughly €207,000. The vehicle was registered in Switzerland.
German customs officers intercepted the vehicle on the spot. The finding was unequivocal: the Ferrari had not been declared upon its entry into the territory of the European Union. As an EU resident, the driver was required to submit it to import duties from his very first border crossing.
“It is only in a handful of exceptional cases that vehicles registered outside the EU may be driven by persons resident in the EU without being subject to customs duties on first importation. In this particular instance, none of those exceptions applies.”
German customs office
The bill: 115,000 francs paid on the spot
The driver was required to settle, immediately, €124,000 (CHF 115,000), comprising:
- €64,000 in import taxes (VAT plus customs duties)
- €60,000 as a penalty for non-declaration
That is roughly 60% of the vehicle’s value, settled at the roadside.
Why does this happen?
- Residence vs registration: an EU resident cannot circulate within the EU in a vehicle registered outside the EU (Switzerland, the UK) without clearing it through customs.
- The temporary admission regime applies only under very specific conditions (non-resident visitor, limited duration).
- Penalties are immediate: customs may detain the vehicle and demand payment on the spot.
What THE MOTOR HOUSE would have done differently
Our Customs & Compliance department supports private clients and families with the importation of prestige vehicles between Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European area. For a file of this kind, we would have:
- Identified upstream the customs status applicable to both driver and vehicle
- Structured the border crossing within the appropriate legal framework
- Prepared the documentation required by German customs
- Avoided any seizure and any emergency payment
The cost of professional customs counsel represents a tiny fraction of what this driver had to disburse, in a matter of minutes, at the side of a motorway.
Our counsel
Before taking the wheel of a luxury vehicle to cross a border, consult a customs specialist. The rules vary according to your tax residence, the nature of the crossing and the status of the vehicle. At THE MOTOR HOUSE, every importation is handled as a complete tax matter in its own right.