Get a Trip to Europe With That New Car

Some people travel to Europe to see the Louvre and Saint Peter's Basilica. Chris Basse went there to pick up his BMW M5 in Munich, then drive the $90,000, 500-horsepower vehicle 140 miles an hour on Germany's autobahn.

"All I could do was laugh. I never felt anything like it," says the 36-year-old businessman from San Antonio. "The car is just made for those roads."

For years, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and Saab buyers have taken advantage of European delivery programs, receiving sizable discounts by picking up keys to a car at its home factory.

What's new is that carmakers are breaking ground on sleek delivery centers and piling on perks to lure autophiles into experiencing the newest car smell of all.

This summer the new BMW Welt - Deutsch for "world" - will open in Munich. The glass-skinned facility, designed by CoopHimmelblau (a cutting-edge Vienna-based architecture firm), will host up to 250 customer deliveries a day, with cars rotating on turntables as they're introduced to owners.



More photos in our auto show photo galleries...

Auto Show photo galleries!!!! Click here


Read Article

NARunner - 10/30/2006 1:56:40 PM

+2 Boost

Great idea! I would love to pick up my BMW in Germany and take it for a spin on the autobahn

tim330i - 10/30/2006 2:09:06 PM

+3 Boost

Check out the European Delivery forum on bimmerfest.com for tips and tricks!

Homer008 - 10/30/2006 9:21:45 PM

-2 Boost

WHAT A CROCK OF BUUUUUULLLSHIT ARTICLE
Rarely, No one drives that fast in Germany..You'll see most ppl drive at on or about 80mph! Main reason for this is to save fuel due to extreme high cost of fuel.

Did you know German folks will shut off their car engine, whenever at a stop lights in city area to save fuel? Trying to squeeze out every penny out of gallon?? Its true. Did you also know Koreans has a very similar practice by shutting off their car headlights everytime they get stopped by a signal lights?

I asked a couple in Korea and also in Shannon, Ireland...why do you folks keep driving through the stop signs without hardly ever stopping? Their reply was to Save gas and brake pads.

BMW530i - 10/30/2006 11:07:26 PM

0 Boost

Did you know German folks will shut off their car engine, whenever at a stop lights in city area to save fuel?
=========================================

So? I do the same thing, and I live here in the US. I know where money comes from. Just because I drive a BMW doesn't mean I don't care about fuel economy and gas prices.

Oh, and Germans drive faster than your 80 mph claim. When I am over in Germany, I get overtaken like crazy when I use the Autobahns, and I don't drive slowly, I exploit the sections of the Autobahns which aren't speed-limited. Besides, with modern diesels you get awesome fuel economy and performance. Most of Europe seems to be driving diesels these days anyway.

S4cabriofox - 10/30/2006 10:51:13 PM

-1 Boost

"For years, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and Saab buyers..."

And, more recently, Porsche and Audi.

S4cabriofox - 10/30/2006 10:51:59 PM

+2 Boost

But Porsche actually charges EXTRA to get a European Delivery- can you say ripoff?

I guess because it's Porsche they get an exemption. They charge $800 for different-colored gauges in a 911!