Dubai has more Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens and Rolls-Royces per mile of road than almost anywhere, and the choice can be hard to resist. The worry is spending six figures on a car you have only seen on a screen, then finding it will not suit the UK or costs far more to bring in than you expected. Most of that can be worked out before you pay, and this guide goes through it.
- Steering
- Left-hand drive, GCC specification
- Shipping from Dubai
- From £2,150, shipping only
- Time at sea
- About 4 to 6 weeks
- Import tax
- 10% duty + 20% VAT
- Test
- IVA under 10 years, MOT over
GCC specification or UK specification
A supercar sold new in the UAE is built to GCC specification, for the Gulf states. It is left-hand drive, set up for driving on the right and made for a very hot climate. A car sold new in the UK is right-hand drive and built for our roads from the start. Neither is better, but they are not the same car.
| Feature | GCC specification | UK specification |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | Left-hand drive | Right-hand drive |
| Speedometer | km/h, converted to mph if under 10 years | mph |
| Headlights | Dip to the right, need changing | Set for the UK |
| UK test | IVA if under 10 years, MOT if older | Already registered here |
| Climate | Built for heat and sand | Built for rain and road salt |
Not every car on sale in Dubai started life there. Some were first sold in other markets and brought in later, so ask the seller which specification it is and where it was first registered. The answer affects the history checks, the parts and how the car is tested here.
Heat, sand and low miles
A Gulf car is usually dry and free of rust, which is a real plus on an older supercar. The climate brings its own wear, though. Strong sun is hard on leather, dashboards, rubber seals and paint, and sand can pit the front of the car and clog filters.
Low mileage is common, as plenty of these cars spend more time parked than driven. That is not always good news. A car that has sat for long periods in the heat can have old tyres, a tired battery and seals that have dried out, whatever the odometer says. Check the date on the tyres and ask when the car was last serviced, not just how far it has gone.
Warranty and servicing
Many supercars in Dubai come with a manufacturer warranty or a dealer service plan. Do not assume either will carry on once the car is in the UK. Ask the seller for the terms in writing, and ask a UK dealer for the brand whether they will honour them on a GCC car before you agree a price.
A full service history from a main dealer is worth a lot on a car like this, both for your own peace of mind and when you come to sell. Keep every invoice and stamp together with the purchase paperwork.
Left-hand drive in the UK
The DVLA registers left-hand drive cars without asking for the steering to be moved, so a GCC supercar can be used here as it is. The usual changes are an mph speedometer on a car under 10 years old, headlights adjusted or changed for driving on the left, and a rear fog light on older cars. On many modern supercars the lights can be adjusted rather than replaced.
It is worth thinking about how you will use the car. Left-hand drive takes a little getting used to on narrow roads and at junctions, and some UK buyers prefer right-hand drive when you come to sell. Our guide to left-hand drive cars in the UK and the one on speedometer and headlight conversions cover the detail.
IVA for newer cars
A supercar under 10 years old needs an IVA test before it can be registered. Left-hand drive cars come under basic IVA, which is a visual inspection with some specific tests and does not normally need documentary evidence. The DVSA does say that vehicles from Middle Eastern countries may not be designed to European standards, so it pays to check the car before you buy.
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain, so a car from Dubai is tested on our own lane in Castle Donington. Our guides to the IVA test and to IVA evidence and model reports explain how it works.
Talk to us before you buy. Send us the make, model and build date and we can tell you which test the car takes and what it is likely to need before it gets there.
Shipping a supercar from Dubai
Cars leave from Jebel Ali, and most travel in a shared container with other customers' cars. As a guide, built from a year of real jobs, shipping from the UAE starts from £2,150, shipping only. The sea journey takes about 4 to 6 weeks.
For a car in this bracket, many owners choose a dedicated container, which nobody else's car shares, and enclosed transport for the UK leg. If the car has to be here quickly, air freight is an option, and the UAE to the UK is the air route we handle most. Every air job is priced individually. Marine insurance covers the car up to its full value in transit, so tell us the value when you ask for a quote. Our guide to shipping a high-value car covers each of these choices.
Import tax on a high-value car
The UAE is outside the EU, so a car bought there pays 10% import duty and 20% import VAT. Both are worked out on the price of the car plus the cost of getting it here, with the VAT charged on top of the duty. On a supercar the numbers get large quickly.
As an illustration, a £200,000 car shipped at our £2,150 guide price would pay 10% duty on £202,150, which is £20,215. VAT is then 20% of £222,365, which is £44,473. That is £64,688 in import tax before anything else, and a dedicated container or air freight raises the shipping figure and the tax with it.
A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty instead. If you are moving to the UK, have lived abroad for at least 12 months and have owned the car for at least 6, Transfer of Residence can bring it in with no VAT or duty. Run your own figures on the import tax calculator.
An Italian or German car is not duty free from Dubai
Ferrari and Lamborghini build their cars in Italy, and people sometimes expect that to mean no duty under the UK-EU trade deal. The zero rate in that deal is for goods traded between the UK and the EU, backed by proof of origin from the exporter or the importer. A car bought from a seller in Dubai is not coming from the EU, so plan on the full 10%. Our guide to rules of origin and duty on EU cars explains how origin works, and if you think your car has a case, ask us before you buy.
Buying safely
The bigger the price, the more the paperwork matters. We are not able to ship or register salvage vehicles from Dubai, so a clean history comes first. Our guide to buying a car abroad safely has the full list.
Before you pay a deposit
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Questions people ask
Can I buy a supercar in Dubai and bring it to the UK?
Yes. Our agents in Dubai handle the RTA export paperwork, the car ships from Jebel Ali, then it clears customs, has its UK changes, takes an IVA or MOT depending on age and is registered with the DVLA.
How much tax will I pay on a supercar from Dubai?
Usually 10% duty and 20% VAT on the price plus the shipping, with VAT charged on top of the duty. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty, and Transfer of Residence can make it nil if you are moving here.
Does a Ferrari built in Italy pay duty if I buy it in Dubai?
Plan on the full 10%. The zero rate in the UK-EU deal is for goods traded between the UK and the EU with proof of origin, and a car bought in Dubai is not coming from the EU.
Will my Dubai warranty work in the UK?
Do not assume it will. Get the terms in writing from the seller and ask a UK dealer for the brand whether they will honour them on a GCC car before you buy.
How should I ship a high-value car from Dubai?
Many owners choose a dedicated container and enclosed transport for the UK leg, with marine insurance for the full value. Air freight is available if the car is needed quickly, priced per job.
Found the car? Send us the listing on the quote form and we will price the whole job, from Dubai to your drive.
