Twelve Cars You Can Finally Import to the U.S. in 2017
- 1/13
It's almost 2017, which means that, among other things, there's a whole new crop of ultra-cool cars you can finally import into the U.S. that were never sold here. Once a car turns 25, it's eligible for importation, but you'll have to pay attention to the month and year it was built. This year will bring lots of European and JDM favorites, so get scheming!
Alfa Romeo - 2/13
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Finally, the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution can come to the U.S. The Evo was the rally-ready version of the otherwise-bland Mitsubishi Lancer sedan, and thanks to competition success and Gran Turismo games, it quickly became a legend. Expect a lot of these to come to the country, and expect them to get expensive.
- 3/13
Alfa Romeo 155
Yes, Alfa will bring the rear-drive Giulia sedan to the states soon, but what if you want something slightly more boxy? The 155 should do the ticket, especially in Q4 form, which shared a drivetrain with the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale.
- 4/13
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
The early 1990s was a good time for rally cars–Mitsubishi began campaigning the Lancer Evolution, Toyota had the Celica GT-Four, the Lancia Delta Integrale was still winning races, and Ford had this, the Escort RS Cosworth. This nutty three-door was a homologation special for Ford's Group A rally program, and came equipped with a Cosworth-designed four-cylinder and a glorious rear wing.
- 5/13
Subaru Impreza WRX
Hard to believe the mighty Impreza WRX is 25 years old, but indeed, the first models rolled out of Subaru's factory at the end of 1992. If you can wait two more years, though, you'll be able to get a WRX STI, but still, a 1992 WRX Wagon like the one above would be sweet.
- 6/13
Porsche 964 Carrera RS
Porsche's second 911 Carrera RS isn't as famous as the first, but it's a special car all the same. To create the 964 RS, Porsche cut out 360 lbs from the already-light Carrera 2 and boosted its 3.6-liter flat-six to 256 horsepower. Yes, we did get the RS America, but the Carrera RS is the real deal. It's a perfect early-1990s 911, but unfortunately, they're quickly becoming expensive collector's items.
- 7/13
Honda NSX-R
Want to know why Honda's "Type R" name is a legend? It's largely thanks to this car, the first NSX-R. The NSX was already a light and simple sports car when it debuted in 1990, but for 1992, Honda stripped out every luxury in the name of performance. The red seats are a nice touch too.
- 8/13
Maserati Ghibli
Before the Ghibli name appeared on a four-door sedan, it was used for this pretty little coupe. The Ghibli was derived from the infamous Biturbo and is largely similar to the V8-powered Shamal. We think it looks like an Italian Audi Quattro, and that's a compliment.
- 9/13
BMW M5 Touring
In the U.S., we got the regular old sedan version of this M5, but the wagon is infinitely cooler. Why, you ask? Because it puts the same racing-derived straight-six as the sedan in a more practical package.
- 10/13
Autozam AZ-1
The gullwing-doored Autozam AZ-1 is easily the weirdest car Mazda's ever made. It's a Kei car, which means it has a 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder stuffed in a tiny body, and really, we're not sure why it exists. It's utterly bizarre and totally charming.
- 11/13
Alfa Romeo RZ
Il Mostro! Alfa's strangest collaboration with Zagato, the SZ, debuted in coupe form in 1989, but in 1992, a roadster called the RZ appeared. It's a strange looking car, but race car-derived suspension and a 210-horse V6 make a serious performer too.
- 12/13
TVR Chimaera
The TVR Griffith is one of the craziest cars to ever come out of the UK. The Chimaera uses the same platform as the Griffith, but it's tuned to be more comfortable and more daily drivable. Also like the Griffith (and so many other British cars of the period), the Chimaera used a Rover V8.
- 13/13
Ford Fiesta RS1800
Think of the Fiesta RS1800 as an ancestor to today's Fiesta ST. Small, light, nimble, and quick, thanks to its 1.8-liter, 130-hp four-cylinder. The Escort RS Cosworth might be the more hardcore of the two 1992 Fords featured here, but the Fiesta is cheaper.
It's almost 2017, which means that, among other things, there's a whole new crop of ultra-cool cars you can finally import into the U.S. that were never sold here. Once a car turns 25, it's eligible for importation, but you'll have to pay attention to the month and year it was built. This year will bring lots of European and JDM favorites, so get scheming!