Exotic and luxury car shipping means moving a high-value car, a supercar, a sports car or a premium SUV or sedan, where the paint, the low front end and the cost of a repair matter more than the last hundred dollars. Exotic car transport, luxury car transport, luxury auto shipping and specialty car transport all describe the same service, usually an enclosed trailer with a carrier that is used to this kind of car. We priced the same lanes open and enclosed, so here is what the choice costs: enclosed was a median 74% more than open for a sedan, and for a two-door coupe, the body style of most sports cars, exactly the same as a sedan, because our pricing tool prices a coupe like a sedan.
Open or enclosed for a luxury or exotic car?
Both work, and the right choice depends on the car and on how much risk you want to take. An open trailer is the standard and the cheapest option, and many luxury sedans and SUVs ship open without trouble. An enclosed trailer shields the car from weather, road debris and prying eyes, and it usually loads by liftgate or a long ramp, which suits a low car.
| Open trailer | Enclosed trailer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | The baseline. A sedan averaged $0.73 a mile on our 20 lanes. | A median +74% for a sedan or coupe and +77% for an SUV in our quotes. |
| Cars per truck | Typically about 7 to 10, according to industry sources. | Often 1 to 6, which is part of the price. |
| Protection | Exposed to weather and road debris, like a car being driven. | Shielded from rain, hail, road salt, stones and sun. |
| Low or modified cars | May need a driver with a long ramp or a liftgate. | Often loaded by liftgate or a long, low ramp. |
| Cargo insurance | Varies by carrier. Ask for the certificate. | Most enclosed carriers carry about $250,000, but limits vary. Ask for the certificate. |
| Best for | Daily-driver luxury cars, dealer moves and cars where price matters most. | Supercars, exotics, low cars, new or low-mileage cars and anything you cannot easily replace. |
The cars-per-truck and insurance figures are industry ranges from carriers and brokers, so treat them as typical rather than guaranteed. The prices are ours. See our full open vs. enclosed guide and the enclosed auto transport page.
How much does exotic car shipping cost?
On our platform the price is set by the vehicle type (sedan, coupe, SUV, pickup or van), not by the make or model, so a Ferrari coupe and a Honda coupe are priced as the same vehicle type. What changes the number is the body type, the distance and the trailer. On 10 lanes on October 20, 2026 we priced a sedan and a two-door coupe on an open trailer and a coupe and an SUV on an enclosed trailer. The coupe was priced exactly like the sedan on all 10 lanes, open and enclosed, and moving to an enclosed trailer added a median 73% (from +33% to +117%).
| Route | Miles | Sedan or coupe, open | Sedan or coupe, enclosed | SUV, enclosed | Enclosed premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas → Houston | 239 | $250 | $543 | $581 | +117% |
| Chicago → Atlanta | 690 | $531 | $910 | $1,378 | +71% |
| Atlanta → Chicago | 690 | $732 | $1,018 | $1,129 | +39% |
| Denver → Phoenix | 823 | $610 | $1,295 | $1,260 | +112% |
| Chicago → Dallas | 969 | $816 | $1,106 | $1,159 | +36% |
| Orlando → New York | 1,082 | $706 | $1,239 | $1,382 | +75% |
| New York → Orlando | 1,083 | $1,100 | $1,496 | $1,745 | +36% |
| Los Angeles → Seattle | 1,143 | $1,011 | $1,346 | $1,391 | +33% |
| Boston → Miami | 1,501 | $1,011 | $1,811 | $1,936 | +79% |
| Los Angeles → New York | 2,794 | $1,485 | $2,599 | $3,217 | +75% |
Coast to coast, a coupe or sedan from Los Angeles to New York was $1,485 open and $2,599 enclosed (2,794 miles), while a short hop from Dallas to Houston (239 miles) was $250 open and $543 enclosed. Short trips cost the most per mile and long trips the least. These are platform estimates for a running car, and a carrier quote for your own car can differ, so use them as a guide. For a number for your route, use the calculator below, which starts on an enclosed trailer, or our car shipping calculator.
Exotic and luxury car shipping calculator
Enter two ZIP codes. The calculator starts on an enclosed trailer and shows the closest real lanes in our data for your route.
Cargo insurance for an exotic or luxury car
The carrier’s cargo insurance is what pays if the car is damaged while it is on the truck, and it is the first thing to check with a high-value car. Most enclosed carriers carry cargo insurance of about $250,000, though limits vary by carrier and exotic specialists may carry more. That is enough for many luxury cars and not for every supercar, so compare the limit with what your car is worth.
- Ask for the certificate of insurance and read the limit, the deductible and the exclusions. A number quoted over the phone is not the policy.
- Compare the limit with the car’s value. If the car is worth more than the carrier’s limit, ask how a total loss would be valued and whether a higher-limit carrier is available for your route.
- Check your own policy. Some collector and agreed-value policies cover a car in transit and some do not. Ask your insurer in writing.
- Ask what is excluded. Policies differ on things like weather, road debris and items left in the car.
- Document the car. Wash it, take dated photos of every panel, the wheels, the interior and the odometer before pickup, and inspect it against the bill of lading before you sign at delivery.
How to prepare an exotic car for shipping
- Tell the carrier about clearance. Give the ride height, the front lip and the wheelbase so the driver can bring a liftgate or a long ramp. A low car may be refused by a carrier that did not know.
- Wash it and photograph it. Take close-ups of the paint, the wheels, the glass and the interior, and the odometer, with the date on.
- Leave about a quarter tank of fuel, or ask the carrier what charge level it wants for an electric car, and check for leaks.
- Hand over what the driver needs. Provide a key or a fob and instructions for any kill switch, alarm, gear selector or ride-height setting, and remove toll tags and loose items.
- Plan the handoff. A large enclosed truck may not reach a narrow street, so be ready to meet the driver at a nearby lot, and be present to sign the bill of lading at both ends.
- Ask how the car is secured. Ask whether it rides on straps or wheel nets, whether the trailer is hard-sided or soft-sided, and how many cars share it.
Real luxury and sports car jobs on our platform
These are recent jobs from the signed bills of lading and the pickup and delivery photos the drivers filed. They come from our state pages. Customer names, street addresses, VINs, plates and carrier details are left out, and the photos are blurred where needed. Miles are our own approximations, and dates are the signature dates on the bills of lading. The bills do not tell us which trailer each car rode on, so these show the kind of cars we move and how long it took, not which trailer type.
| Car | Route | Miles (approx.) | Picked up | Delivered | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon | Towson, MD → New York, NY | ~200 | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 11, 2026 | 1 day |
| 2023 Maserati Grecale | Edinburg, TX → Kenner, LA | ~700 | Sep 16, 2026 | Sep 17, 2026 | 1 day |
| 2018 Range Rover Evoque Convertible | Merriam, KS → Washington, DC | ~1,050 | Feb 4, 2026 | Feb 5, 2026 | 1 day |
| 2007 Lotus Exige | Boulder, CO → Holden, ME | ~2,050 | Aug 15, 2025 | Aug 19, 2025 | 4 days |
| 2023 BMW M240i | Jamestown, KY → Plano, TX | ~800 | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 | 1 day |
| 2017 Lexus GX 460 | New Orleans, LA → Manheim, PA | ~1,150 | Oct 15, 2025 | Oct 17, 2025 | 2 days |
| 2025 Lexus RX 450h | Towson, MD → Bexley, OH | ~400 | Oct 13, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 | 2 days |
Four of the seven were delivered in 1 day, including a Range Rover Evoque convertible about 1,050 miles from Kansas, and the longest, a Lotus Exige from Colorado to Maine (about 2,050 miles), took 4 days. These are the quick end of what we saw, not a promise.
What the photos show
These are the drivers’ own inspection photos from real jobs, taken at pickup and at delivery. They are examples of the cars we move, not a safety record. The last pair below shows what a car looks like inside an enclosed trailer.
How to choose an exotic car transport company
- Check the company. Every interstate carrier or broker needs a USDOT number and operating authority. Look them up on the FMCSA company snapshot, and find out whether you are dealing with a broker or a carrier.
- Ask for experience with your kind of car. Ask how many low or high-value cars the driver has hauled and how the car will be secured.
- Ask for the trailer type in writing. A hard-sided enclosed trailer, a soft-sided trailer and an open hauler are different services at different prices.
- Get more than one quote for the same details, and compare what each includes: pickup, delivery, insurance limit and deductible, and what is due when.
- Be wary of a price far below the others. It may not find a driver, which leaves your pickup stuck or leads to a re-quote.
Transportli is a freight marketplace, not a carrier. You describe the car and the route, and we match the job with carriers on our platform that have been checked for active operating authority, insurance and safety rating. Tell us in the quote that the car is an exotic or luxury car and that you want an enclosed trailer, and compare prices and pickup windows. For a classic or collector car, see our classic car transport guide, and for a long trip our cross country guide.
Exotic and luxury car shipping: frequently asked questions
How much does exotic car shipping cost?
It depends on the distance and the trailer. In our quotes a two-door coupe or a sedan on an enclosed trailer averaged $1.21 a mile across 10 lanes, for example $2,599 from Los Angeles to New York (2,794 miles) and $910 from Chicago to Atlanta (690 miles). Use the calculator for your own route.
How much more is enclosed transport for an exotic car?
A coupe cost a median 73% more enclosed than open (from +33% to +117%) in our 10 lanes, the same as a sedan. Across 20 lanes a sedan cost a median 74% more and an SUV 77% more.
Does a Ferrari or Lamborghini cost more to ship than a regular car?
On our platform the price is set by the vehicle type, not the make or model, and in our tests a two-door coupe was priced exactly like a sedan on all 10 lanes. A carrier may quote differently for a very low car, a very valuable car or one that needs special handling, so describe the car and its value accurately when you quote.
Do I need an enclosed trailer for a luxury car?
Not always. Many luxury sedans and SUVs ship open without trouble. Enclosed is worth pricing for a supercar, a low or modified car, a new or low-mileage car and anything you cannot easily replace.
How much cargo insurance do enclosed carriers have?
Most enclosed carriers carry cargo insurance of about $250,000, though limits vary by carrier and exotic specialists may carry more. Ask for the certificate, and compare the limit with the car’s value.
What if my car is worth more than the carrier’s insurance?
Ask the carrier how a total loss would be valued, ask whether a higher-limit carrier is available for your route and check whether your own agreed-value or collector policy covers the car in transit. Get the answers in writing.
How do I ship a low sports car without damage?
Tell the carrier the ride height, front lip and wheelbase so the driver brings a liftgate or a long ramp, photograph the car in detail before pickup, ask how it will be secured and inspect it against the bill of lading at delivery.
Can I ship an electric exotic car or a luxury EV?
Yes, but tell the carrier it is an electric car and ask what charge level it wants at pickup. Give the driver instructions for any transport or tow mode, and leave the charge cable out of the car unless the carrier asks for it.
How long does exotic car shipping take?
On the recent jobs above, four of seven were delivered in 1 day, including about 1,050 miles from Kansas to Washington, DC, and a Lotus Exige went about 2,050 miles from Colorado to Maine in 4 days. Industry-typical coast to coast transit is about 6 to 9 days. These are examples, not guarantees.
Can I track my car during transport?
Ask the carrier what updates it offers, such as driver contact or GPS tracking, before you book. Practices vary by carrier, so get the answer in writing.
Is exotic car transport different from classic car transport?
They overlap, since both often use enclosed trailers, but a classic is judged by age and originality and an exotic by value and low clearance. See our classic car transport guide for older and collector cars.
Do I have to be present at pickup and delivery?
You, or someone you trust, should be present to inspect the car with the driver and sign the bill of lading at both ends. The bill is the condition report and the contract, so note any damage on it before the driver leaves.
How do I get an exotic car transport quote?
Tell us the car, the route, your pickup window and that you want an enclosed trailer, and compare quotes from vetted carriers. You can start with the calculator on this page for an estimate.
Did you know?From real quotes on October 20, 2026
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+73% median extra for an enclosed coupe
A coupe is priced like a sedan
On all 10 lanes the coupe and the sedan had the same price, and enclosed added a median of 73%.
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$2,599 a coupe, enclosed, Los Angeles to New York
Coast to coast, enclosed was $2,599
The same coupe was $1,485 open, over 2,794 miles.
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$250K typical cargo insurance, enclosed carriers
Check the limit against the car's value
Most enclosed carriers carry about $250,000 of cargo insurance, but limits vary, so ask for the certificate.
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4 days a Lotus Exige, Colorado to Maine
About 2,050 miles in 4 days
A 2007 Lotus Exige went from Boulder, CO to Holden, ME on a real job, Aug 15 to Aug 19, 2025.
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Cite as: Transportli, “Exotic and Luxury Car Shipping: Costs and Insurance”, https://transportli.com/auto-transport/exotic-car-shipping/, updated October 20, 2026.
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