In the 1990s, the four-cylinder S13 generation of the Nissan 180SX was a constant source of frustration for American enthusiasts. We liked the compact dimensions, rear-wheel drive, and tight styling, which included retractable headlights, a must for the time. He just didn`t have any power. Nissan has rescued turbocharged versions for its home market, including the Type X NISMO, which will become legal for import in January. Under the hood is the company`s legendary four-cylinder SR20DET, which remains a cornerstone of Nissan`s sporty compact performance. Backed by a five-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential, the turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC has been rated at 205 hp at 6000 rpm and 203 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm, and the Iron Block engine is known to pump more with proven modifications. Nissan`s Super HICAS all-wheel steering was optional, and the Type X looked like the piece with unique front and rear spoilers, side skirts and 15-inch alloy wheels. The bad news for American car enthusiasts is that many automakers are keeping some of their coolest cars off our shores. The good news, however, is that the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act allows us Yankees to import these desirable models not available in America into the United States as early as 25 years after their production date. Click to see eight of the coolest vehicles that will reach the quarter-century mark in 2022. These 1996 rides are now 25 years old, so you can legally import them into the United States. Those who want to import a car into the U.S.
are probably familiar with the 25-year rule, which says a car that was not originally sold in the U.S. market must be 25 years of age or older to be legally imported and driven. To be more precise, the VIN number of vehicles must be 25 years old, so if a car was produced in September 1997, you will have to wait until September 2022 to be able to import it legally. With that in mind, here are 10 great cars that can be imported in 2022. If you live in the United States, you`ll have to wait at least another 11 years to import a seventh-generation Mitsubishi Evo. Canada does not have such a ridiculous import law, for the record. Now that the Mitsubishi has apparently eliminated its best model for good, Evo owners will continue to unite and celebrate the cars they drive. Thankfully, as Matt Farah points out in his latest One Take, there`s not much difference between seventh, eighth, and ninth generation Evos. Mitsubishi began importing the Evo to the United States in 2003, in time for the eighth generation.
The fourth generation of the Mitsubishi rally car for the road was introduced in August 1996 and will be approved for import this summer. Based on the redesigned sixth generation of the Lancer sedan, the Evo IV has remained true to the formula that made the compact sports a legend of performance. Its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, five-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive have returned; However, the powertrain has been rotated 180 degrees to eliminate steering torque and improve balance. The weight has increased slightly, but so has the performance. Both the GSR and RS received a new twin-scroll turbo that improved responsiveness and increased power to 276 hp at 6500 rpm and 243 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. Another novelty was the active yaw rear differential. The RS was the more serious of the two, with a limited-slip differential at the front, lightweight OZ Racing wheels and additional struts. To save a few pounds, it had winding windows and air conditioning was optional. The only legal way to get a CP9A chassis here is to find a 1 of the 220 Evo 6 TME RS and go through the lengthy process to import it as part of the permanent race car exemption. It is a kind of loophole, but a legal one. And because official Mitsubishi documents describe RS equipment as being intended for racing teams, it qualifys.
Unfortunately, once it has been imported in this way, it can never again be road legal in the United States. Dim`s fascination with cars began when he was just six years old. Born into a family of car enthusiasts and racing drivers, he began learning basic mechanics and driving at a young age. Although he enjoys writing for any car, Dim is more interested in exploring obscure and forgotten cars and finding the best deals on the passionate car market. His passion led him to car restoration at the Malta Classic Car Museum, where he briefly worked on a 1964 Jaguar E-Type and an Alfa Romeo Junior. In Malta, he also graduated in Media and Communication, which further improved his skills as an automotive journalist. Dim is always ready to get behind the wheel of a car and tell you about it later. The TVR Cerbera can be described as a blend of British muscle and lightweight sports car. If that sounds exciting already, you`ll be happy to know that starting in 2022, you`ll be able to import the version with the largest engine – a naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 engine with 420 horsepower and 380 pound-feet (515 Nm). The only more powerful version of the Cerbera is the RedRose Lightweight 2002, which develops 440 horsepower from the same engine. The automotive industry is changing rapidly and not everyone is able to adapt.
Mitsubishi is a perfect example of this, as the once glorious automaker has gradually been reduced to cheap and boring vehicles. Mitsubishi is not in a good financial situation and the Lancer Evolution says more than any word about the deteriorating situation of Mitsubishi. Given recent developments, it looks like Mitsubishi`s future will include a boring lineup of vehicles and mandatory electrification, likely with Nissan`s help. Mitsubishi finally decided in 2001 to bless the American market with a Lancer Evolution, along with the seventh-generation rally sedan. However, if you want the more classic versions of this road-legal rally car, the Evolution IV is now celebrating its 25th anniversary, meaning you can finally import one. What sets the Evo IV apart is the distinctive new design (the Evo I to III were more or less the same car) and the introduction of Active YAW Control – essentially an early version of torque vectoring. It was Republican Congressman Bob Whittaker of Kansas who supported the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act. The law was passed in 1988 and allows U.S. car enthusiasts to import cars from abroad as long as those cars are at least 25 years old.
As a rule, these are models that were not sold in the United States for various reasons. Most of the time, they didn`t comply with emissions and safety regulations, but every year a new batch of interesting cars and trucks from Japan, Europe and Australia are eligible for legal import. Here are a dozen new options for anyone looking to import a car in 2021. Another legendary Japanese performance sedan, the Toyota Chaser X100, will be approved for import in September. It replaced the X90 model in September 1996, retaining its rear-wheel drive layout and wide range of inline-six powertrains, which included everything from a 2.0-liter FE 1G to the same 2JZ-GE that powered the Supra. With a length of 187 inches, they are large sedans with a wheelbase of 107 inches. Unfortunately, the hottest version didn`t get the biturbo version of the 2JZ of the Supra Turbo. Instead, the Chaser JZX100 was powered by the 2.5-liter 1JZ-GTE with a single turbo and variable valve timing for 276 hp at 6200 rpm and 268 lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm.