Classic cars

How do you import a Ferrari Testarossa or 308 to the UK?

Both can pay 0% duty and 5% import VAT as a collector’s vehicle, because both are over 30 years old and no longer built, as long as the car is in its original state. The difference comes after import: every 308 was built before 1986, so it can go into the historic tax class and is MOT exempt if unchanged, while a Testarossa built in 1986 or later has to wait.

Published 30 October 2026 · 5 min read

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1. How do the Testarossa and the 308 compare for UK import?

The 308 GTB was shown at the Paris motor show in 1975 and the GTS with a removable roof arrived in 1977 (Hagerty UK); the 308 range was replaced by the 328 in 1985 (Wikipedia). The Testarossa was built from 1984 to 1991 (Classic & Sports Car).

Import tax is the same for both, because the collector’s rate under heading 9705 asks for the same three things: over 30 years old, original, and a model no longer in production. What differs is the build date, which decides the two rules that come after import.

The vehicle tax exemption is for vehicles built before 1 January 1986 and you have to apply for it, it is not automatic (GOV.UK). The MOT exemption needs a vehicle built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes, such as a swapped engine, body or axles. You should check the build date on the car’s plate and papers, not just the model name. Our historic vehicle tax checker shows the date a newer car will qualify.

A Ferrari built in Italy can still pay 0% duty if it misses the collector’s rate, when you can prove it was built in the EU (GOV.UK, proof of origin), but it then pays 20% VAT instead of 5%.

2. Does a US-spec car still count as original?

The same model was built differently for different markets. Hagerty UK gives the original 308 as 255hp in Europe and 240hp for US cars, the fuel-injected 308 of 1980 as 214bhp in Europe and 205bhp in the USA, and the four-valve Quattrovalvole of 1982 as 240bhp in Europe and 230bhp in the USA (Hagerty UK).

That gap is how the cars left the factory, so a US-market car with US engine equipment is not modified for that reason. What can cost a car the 5% rate is a change made later to the engine, steering, brakes or chassis, and HMRC decides case by case. Before you pay for a car, ask for a list of every non-original part, and send it to us.

3. What should you check on the bodywork before you pay?

On steel-bodied 308s, Hagerty UK says rust is the biggest worry, in the sills, the lower door sections, the rear of the front wings and the arches, the black painted belt line and the areas behind the bumpers. On glassfibre-bodied cars it warns that water can collect between the body and the frame and hide a rotten chassis (Hagerty UK). A good inspection before you pay is worth more than any tax saving.

Right-hand drive cars are the minority of every model. Classic & Sports Car gives 438 right-hand drive Testarossas for the UK market. A left-hand drive car over 10 years old registers in the UK without conversion, so a left-hand drive car from Italy or the USA is a normal import.

4. Buying abroad: which papers do you need?

From the seller you need the original registration document and the invoice, which is the proof of what you paid. Deregistration and the export paperwork are handled by the seller. If you are looking at a car in Italy, our guide to importing a car from Italy has the UK steps.

Once the car lands, HMRC must be told through NOVA within 14 days of bringing it in, and a customs agent can do it for you (GOV.UK). Cars over 10 years old do not need vehicle approval (GOV.UK). Then comes the MOT if the car is not exempt, and the DVLA registration: we prepare every DVLA form, you just sign and post. For more on the models, see our guide to importing a classic Ferrari.