UK, Ireland, Cyprus & Other European JDM Imports Made Easy
UK, Ireland & Other European Imports — How We Handle It Today
Brave Auto International helps buyers in the UK, Ireland and across Europe import the right JDM and classic vehicles directly from Japan’s dealer-only auctions. We handle the full process — vehicle sourcing, bidding, export paperwork and shipping — so your car arrives with the correct documentation for local clearance and registration in your country.
Ireland — Japanese Used Imports Made Simple
If you’re in Ireland and looking for a clean, well-kept Japanese import, the auctions in Japan give you far more choice — and often better condition — than browsing locally. Irish customers have been importing through Brave Auto for years — because we keep it simple, clear, and properly documented.
Brave Auto helps you do it properly, step-by-step: from auction search and buying, to export paperwork and shipping from Japan. Once the vehicle arrives, most customers use a local clearing/registration agent in Ireland to handle the final steps.
For buyers in Ireland, we can help you:
Find the right vehicle (JDM, classics, daily drivers, special trims)
Understand auction grades and condition notes before you bid
Arrange inland transport, export clearance, and shipping from Japan
Supply the key export documents your agent will typically need on arrival
On the Ireland side, your local agent will usually assist with:
Import clearance and any applicable taxes/fees
Registration requirements (this can vary by vehicle and year)
Any compliance items that may be needed for road use
Cyprus — Japanese Used Cars & RHD-Friendly Imports
If you’re in Cyprus, you’re not just dealing with a company — you’re dealing directly with Mark, who has hands-on buying experience in Japan and supports you step-by-step from auction search to shipping.
Because Cyprus drives on the left, many Japanese right-hand-drive vehicles are a natural fit — and the Japanese auctions are a great place to find clean, well-kept, low-mileage cars.
Common reasons Cyprus buyers use the auctions:
Access clean, low-km vehicles with better condition than many local options
Wide choice of models and specs (including unique trims and packages)
Transparent buying process with auction grade sheets and detailed photos
For buyers in Cyprus, we can help you:
Search auctions daily and shortlist the best options for your budget
Interpret auction sheets properly (so you know what you’re bidding on)
Arrange export paperwork and shipping from Japan
Supply the documents your clearing agent will typically request on arrival
Once you’ve purchased a vehicle, Mark handles the buying process, export preparation, and shipping — then you clear and register the vehicle locally in Cyprus (many customers use a local clearing agent to make this easy).
Other European Buyers — Regular Shipping To Europe
We don’t only export to the UK and Ireland — we regularly buy and export vehicles to customers across Europe, including France, Germany, and Finland.
Whether you’re looking for a clean daily driver, a special JDM trim, or a collector vehicle, the Japanese auctions give you far wider choice and often better condition than most local listings — and we handle the Japan side properly from start to finish.
For European buyers, we can help you:
Search Japan’s auctions daily and shortlist the best options
Translate and explain auction sheets so you know exactly what you’re bidding on
Buy the vehicle, arrange inland transport, export clearance, and shipping
On your side, a local clearing/registration agent usually assists with:
Import clearance and any taxes/fees in your country
Registration/compliance steps (these vary by country and vehicle)
A Legacy That Started in the UK
In 1993, Mark Bremner, founder of Brave Auto International, moved to the UK from New Zealand on a two-year working holiday. What began as a short stay quickly evolved into the start of a lifelong journey in the automotive export industry.
“Not long after arriving, I started getting calls from friends of friends in New Zealand — asking if I could help source a Ford Sierra Cosworth or other high-end vehicles. Word-of-mouth was everything back then as you did not have the internet.”
— Mark Bremner
The first vehicle Mark sourced for a customer was a 1989 Porsche 930 Turbo — a $100,000 car at the time, funded entirely upfront by the customer.
“I’ll be honest. The customer was nervous… and so was I. They’d wired a large sum of money to a stranger in the UK, and then had to wait 10–12 weeks for their car to arrive by sea.”
Despite the uncertainty, the vehicle exceeded expectations — and soon after, the same friends who once teased the buyer were calling Mark to request a car of their own.
From UK to NZ - Then Japan to the UK
While Japanese imports were already common in New Zealand, European classics from the UK were rare. Thanks to a favourable exchange rate, Mark began exporting Ford Sierra Cosworths, Mercedes-Benz 190E Cosworths, BMW E30 325i Motorsport models, Porsche 911s and 928s, etc., back to NZ — all to order.
By 1995, the model flipped — Mark was now importing Japanese cars into the UK, while still sourcing and exporting European vehicles back to NZ from the UK. The first Japanese vehicle I imported to the UK was a 1993 Honda CRX Del Sol VTi Trans Top (EG2).
Direct Japan-to-UK imports weren’t permitted at the time, so vehicles were shipped to Rotterdam, registered temporarily with Dutch ZZ plates, and transported into the UK. Once an MOT was completed in the UK, the vehicles could be registered locally.
“In the UK, grey imports were still very new — only a small number of people were doing it. I was traveling to Japan every six weeks to hand-pick 20–30 cars to import to the UK.”
Models like the MR2, Supra, Soarer, RX-7, Pajero, FTO, and GTO were popular — but it was the Nissan Pulsar GTi-R that built Mark’s reputation.
“That’s the car that really established me in the UK’s early JDM scene. Buyers would travel from all over the country to purchase one from me. It was not long before I became the go-to person if you wanted a Pulsar GTi-R.”
Early Imports - Photo Archive
All photos taken between 1994 -1996 at Nagoya Port
From Importer to Exporter - The Birth of MVI
By 1996, demand surged. Mark was now flying to Japan with purchase-to-order requests for 30–50 vehicles at a time, mostly for UK trade buyers.
In 1997, he officially launched MVI Services Inc and moved to Japan full-time. With his UK network still active and MVI Services UK operating, Mark became the only exporter at the time offering a true turnkey solution directly out of Japan:
🚗 Vehicles purchased directly from Japanese auctions
🔧 Converted for UK specs
📄 Registered in the buyer’s name
📦 Delivered to the customer’s door
✅ Backed by a 3-year mechanical UK warranty
This became known as the “UK On-Road Package”, and gained widespread recognition among UK buyers.
Still Trusted, Still Personal
“To this day, many of my original UK and NZ customers still reach out when they’re looking for something special. We’ve become long-time friends, and when I’m on holiday in the UK or New Zealand, we always catch up.”
This experience, trust, and personal connection — forged over 30 years — still define how Brave Auto International operates today.
Previously Shipped Vehicles (Worldwide)
Examples of vehicles sourced in Japan and shipped worldwide — including the UK, Ireland & rest of Europe.
What Our Customers Say
Real feedback from UK, European and other international buyers who’ve imported vehicles through Brave Auto International.
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Start Your Import Journey Today
Whether you’re new to importing or looking for your next dream car, we’re here to guide you every step of the way — from auction access to delivery.