What’s the ultimate road trip you can imagine? On the East Coast, it’s hard to beat the legendary Tail of the Dragon. Out West, the Pacific Coast Highway might steal the spotlight. But picture this: a journey starting in Southern Germany, weaving through Austria and the Italian Alps, navigating hairpin turns in Switzerland, and culminating at the world’s most challenging racetrack. The best part? You’re driving a brand-new Porsche GT4—your GT4. It may sound like a dream, but it’s all too real. Buckle up—this is the story of a Porsche European delivery.
Here’s a pro tip: if a friend invites you to join them on a Porsche European delivery road trip, don’t hesitate—say yes! That’s exactly what happened to me last year when Jake reached out unexpectedly. After special ordering his GT4 nearly a year prior, he meticulously planned the ultimate road trip for car enthusiasts. As a lifelong Porsche fanatic and a professional automotive photographer, I was thrilled to be invited along.
Jake and I landed in Frankfurt and quickly boarded a high-speed train to Porsche’s home in Stuttgart. As the Intercity Express (ICE) zoomed along at nearly 180 mph, charming villages, hilltop castles, and lush farmland flashed by. Arriving in Stuttgart, we checked into our hotel, explored the city, dined with some of Jake’s German colleagues, and finally got some much-needed rest.
After a hearty German breakfast, we took a taxi to the Porsche delivery center, where we met Jake’s delivery specialist, Tillman. Tillman was the epitome of the quintessential German—stylish, approachable, and with a clever sense of humor. His English was impeccable. He led us to a spacious room with individual delivery bays, and there, in bay number one, was a black cover draped over the unmistakable silhouette of a GT4. The moment we had eagerly anticipated had finally arrived.
The cover was gracefully pulled away to reveal a stunning GT4 in Porsche's historic "Ruby Star" color, complemented by striking bronze wheels. As the pinnacle of the Cayman lineup, the GT4 features a 4-liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine delivering 414 HP, with Jake opting for a manual transmission to enhance the driving experience. His GT4 also boasted an exclusive interior package with bespoke leather and custom paint details, so unique that it was built by Porsche Sonderwunsch—Porsche’s equivalent of Skunk Works.
Once the initial thrill of seeing the car wore off, Tillman got to work, introducing Jake to his new Porsche. With 25 years of experience as a delivery specialist, Tillman was exceptionally skilled. He guided us through every feature and maintenance procedure to ensure Jake was fully prepared for the journey ahead. Porsche handled all the paperwork, insurance, and license plates, making the process as smooth and straightforward as possible.
The delivery experience included a factory tour, a delightful lunch, and a museum visit before it was time for the first drive. We departed Stuttgart, heading south towards the Italian Alps with Stelvio Pass as our first destination. This iconic road, the second-highest mountain pass in the Alps, straddles the border between Italy and Switzerland. While the views were breathtaking, the pass was crowded with camper vans and cyclists moving at a pace far less thrilling than a Porsche GT4’s potential. Rather than wait for the crowds to thin, we shifted our focus to our next dream routes: the Furka and Grimsel Passes. Driving through Switzerland felt like stepping into a storybook, with stunning scenery, quaint villages, and cabins perched on hillsides, all under the best weather the region had seen in weeks.
We arrived late at our lakeside mountain top hotel on Grimsel Pass, just in time to witness a mesmerizing full moon rise over the water, with a trail of Starlink satellites cutting through the peaks—a sight I’ll never forget. Early the next morning, we descended Grimsel Pass and ascended Furka Pass to the iconic Hotel Belvedere, renowned as an automotive photographer’s dream backdrop. The weather was spectacular, with the sun rising over the Alps, casting a morning glow on the scene. Hotel Belvedere stood before us; a massive glacier loomed behind, and the view stretching back down the pass extended for miles—an absolutely breathtaking panorama.
We could have easily stayed in Switzerland until the snow began to fall, but our last destination awaited: the Nürburgring. One of the most renowned racetracks in the world, the Nürburgring, located in the Eifel Mountains, is just under 13 miles long, with 154 turns and a 1,000-foot elevation change. It’s so expansive that it even encompasses entire villages. We completed three laps, with Jake skillfully navigating the turns while avoiding the impossibly fast cars driven by experienced locals. If there’s a bucket list for car enthusiasts, lapping the Nürburgring is undoubtedly at the top.
Our journey concluded back in Stuttgart, where we handed Jake’s car over for its transatlantic voyage. 43 days later, the GT4 arrived at Porsche Nashville for its final delivery and handover. It was surreal to see the car that had navigated the Alps, roared down the Autobahn, and conquered the Nürburgring now cruising the streets of Nashville. While our epic European road trip had come to an end, Jake’s thrilling ownership experience with his iconic Porsche GT4 was just beginning.