European auto manufacturers have successfully built many desirable motorcars that Americans will never get the chance to drive. Regulations that are currently governing the manufacturing requirements for safety and environmental concerns are quite different from one country to another, which makes it necessary to alter a car’s design to conform to such rules.
More often than not, when the Europeans and Japanese create exclusive future classics, the whole issue of creating versions that would conform to American regulations isn’t worth the effort. Hence, they simply don’t leave their home continent.
The inability to legally import cars doesn’t only apply to limited production exclusive cars. There are plenty of models that are sold only in their home market, and that’s because they are poorly suited for American driving habits and tastes.
This causes many manufacturers out there to market only a few vehicles for overseas export. There’s a loophole when it comes to discussing imported vehicles that aren’t made to conform to American regulations: time limit.
According to a law introduced in 1988, the “Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988,” the importation of any car less than 25 years old is banned if the car didn’t go through one of the most rigorous and expensive processes to certify them for use on our public roads.
As a general rule, a motor vehicle that’s less than 25 years old needs to comply with all the applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards to be efficiently imported permanently.
Porsche 959
You can ask any car enthusiast with a penchant for something similar to Euro power what the most advanced supercar of the ’80s is. The answer is always a Porsche 959. Made to run in the ill-fated Group B racing series, the Porsche 959 was the most technologically advanced car. In fact, according to Stutt Cars, it completely integrates into the digital age, in a world of automobiles with computers controlling the engine, turbos, suspension, and traction control.
The advanced componentry and its lightweight materials made it one of the most expensive cars out there, and only those with enough wealth can afford one.
Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R
Nissan has made only one Skyline model since the late ’50s. First, it was a Prince model that was renamed Nissan shortly after its introduction. Its styling led the way to many other American designs, and it was meant to be a luxury model, according to Motor 1.
The car went through the ’60s as any other Nissan, up until 1969, when the first performance-oriented GT-R model was introduced with a 160-horsepower inline-6 engine. The GT-R grew into a legend, but never once did one arrive in the Port of Los Angeles with the steering wheel on the left.
Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle
The VW Type 1 “Beetle” was by far one of the best-selling cars in the United States for many decades. Up until it was pulled from the market in 1977. In fact, many people would rightfully question why this car is still on the list if there are thousands around to choose from.
Even if the Beetle left the United States in the ’70s, its production continued in Mexico until 2004. Most of car indeed remains unchanged, even if it received some updates, including modernized interiors and improvements to the engine, and even if it already received electronic fuel injection for its last year in the United States.
Jaguar XJ220
Jaguar’s ambitious supercar project was initiated with the premise of a genuine Jag V12. However, it ended up with a twin-turbo V6. Everybody knows Jaguar was established to make sporting cars and race winners.
However, mid-engine supercars were never truly something associated with this brand. The plan to make a world-class supercar was quite gutsy, and the result turned out to be one of the coolest cars of the ’90s, the XJ220.
Initially, the XJ220 started as a side project among other Jaguar engineers, who didn’t get any official support from the company. By working numerous weekends and calling in favors from suppliers, Jaguar was eventually ready to build production with the lofty goal of breaking 200 mph.
Even if the V12 never took shape, much to the disappointment of some people who placed their deposits, the twin-turbo V6 managed an impressive 540 horsepower, and the car’s final design was striking. Only 281 examples were made, due to all the financial turmoil, and the program was rapidly cut short.
Lamborghini Diablo Strosek
The Lamborghini Diablo is by far one of the most historical models from the Sant’Agata Bolognese company. Americans had no issue purchasing one brand from the dealer throughout the 1990s. However, on a similar note to the original AMG company that decided to modify new Mercedes models for sale, so did one custom performance company in Germany.
Vittorio Strosek has been relentlessly working in auto design since the 1970s, and it often works with manufacturers with new car designs, coming up with alluring and interesting new editions. His company also does custom variations of select vehicles, such as the Diablo.
Fiat 126P
You can find Fiat cars all over the world. One of the ways in which the company managed to expand its footprint over the years was by licensing its products to be fully manufactured in other countries, and finding success with partnerships behind the Iron Curtain.
Initially, Fiat cars were made in Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, and Poland. One of Fiat’s most successful cars was the 126 model. It was produced in Poland, where it was commonly known as the Polish Fiat 126P.
Because of the planned economic policy of Communist Poland, the 126P was also one of the only cars the public could afford, and it became very popular for those fortunate enough to have the privilege of buying one in the first place.
Even if it was quite popular in Eastern Europe, it never really made it overseas since the American government didn’t agree to allow business with Warsaw Pact countries and its little 2-stroke engine would definitely have failed emissions testing.
BMW M3 Sport Evolution III
In the 80s, BMW got extremely serious about offering performance to its customers with modified versions of its regular production models. The vehicles that turned out as a result rapidly became models, like M3 and M5.
These faster sport-tuned varieties were a sounding success, with buyers clamoring to get the newest BMW sports sedan. Even if the early M3 were legends themselves, BMW turned it up to 11 with the model in 1990, creating the M3 Sport Evolution III.
According to Road and Track, BMW had to have in production no less than 5,000 cars to fully satisfy homologation rules to race in Group A, as well as subsequently needing a bona fide race car to put on the track.
This would be the one and only Evo III, which shares zero body panels except the hood. It also features a bigger 2.5-liter engine with different performance enhancements such as a hotter cam, larger valves, and a free-flowing exhaust.
Coupled with an additional powerful engine, there’s an electronically controlled suspension, 18-inch wheels, and a body element to increase its downforce, such as an adjustable spoiler.
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