When I’m bored and have 20 minutes to burn, I always go to car manufacturers’ websites and “spec out” cars I may buy in the future. Volvos, Toyota, Hondas, Lexuses etc. Ones which would look nice on my driveway. But truth be told, nothing on the market really captures my imagination. When I look on the road, nothing really stands out. Then I made a comment to myself. “If you want to stand out on the roads you’d be better off driving a Cadillac CTS!” I chuckled at first, but then I saw some sense to it. Although I don’t like Cadillac’s styling, the CTS isn’t that bad (it grew on me), it’s not that bad a car and there’s not many on UK roads. Then I thought, why don’t I take it one step further…?
Why buy a car available through regular UK supply chain? Why not import a car? I mean a Chevrolet Malibu would definitely stand out on UK roads. Or a Ford Fusion? Or a Buick LaCrosse? Or a Buick Regal? OK, maybe not a Regal, but you get the idea. There may be some good logic behind this thinking. But in reality, I couldn’t afford to import a US car to the UK. It’s not the shipping, but petrol is way more expensive in the UK and engines are bigger in US cars. I’d be broke in a month. But, gasoline is (relatively) cheap in the United States. Which gave me inspiration for this weekend’s “Weekend Head-Scratcher”.
If you could import any car available on the market from any country in the world, what would it be and why? Maybe you’d like to import a Renault Laguna (let’s face it, Europe isn’t exactly hot on them, so you could probably get a good deal on one)? Or maybe there’s an Australian RWD monster you’d like to hoon around the streets of your city? Or go all-out and get the Chinese Red Flag CA7600L? Let us know.
The Daihatsu Copen –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Daihatsu.copen.arp.750pix.jpg
Beat me to it; the Daihatsu Copen is what I’d import.
And I’m just going to fantasize about fitting a Renesis under the hood.
Have we learned nothing from the JFK assassination?
There are two cars I’d take, thanks much, and both are from GMME, now GM-Arabian.
I’d have the Caddy XLR, still available in the middle east, or the Caprice, thanks much. Neither needs much in the way of explaining.
http://www.gmme.com
And we thought the Australians got all the fun!
The GMME Caprice is a Holden Caprice with GMME option levels.
Importing a car from the US to the UK? You seem to be forgetting that you are driving on the wrong side of the road, while US cars are intended and designed to be driven on the right – literally – side of the same road. So, you would either have to have extremely long arms to stretch across the car to inject coins or plastic into parking lot entrance/exit gates, or you would have to have somebody in the shotgun seat at all times to take care of such trivia.
This may not be in the spirit of the thing, but I want one of those Brazilian Fiat Unos or a Dacia Logan. The longer I shop for my next grocery getter, the more I resent that I’ll probably wind up with a typical American circus wagon.
With winter just a few months away, my mind went first to the Land Rover Defender.
I always did like my grandfathers’ Rancheros and El Caminos, so a Ford Falcon Ute from FPV would be a fun throwback, and I could rationalize practicality…sort of. And my wife does love doing doughnuts in a snowy parking lot. That should come easily in one of these.
Wouldn’t mind a Scirocco R.
Holden Commodore Wagon. Spec-ed out with the sportiest package that the factory can offer. It’s the spiritual successor to the Caprice wagons that I spent my youth in, but twice as fast. It’s also the only version of the “G8” that I wish they had imported to the states.
Agreed. I’d love to have one. Failing that, I wouldn’t mind a Holden HSV Coupe 4 or a Holden Coupe 60 Anniversary Edition.
Man, you have to check HSV’s website.
http://www.hsv.com.au/hsv/home/
http://www.hsv.com.au/hsv/showroom/default.aspx?cID=tourerR8
Don’t blame me if some hair grow in your hands after that.
Piaggio Ape TM pickup.
http://www.piaggioape.co.uk/tm_pickup.html
That would be one of mine as well. Turin was crawling with these the last time I was there.
A gas powered Mitsubishi Colt, and a Honda Acty, and of course the Mitsuoka Orochi.
I’d go for a Ford Falcon FPV F6 like this . If my calculations from metric are right, it looks like it makes 415/hp and 412/lbs-ft of torque, in a great power band, and it looks badass.
My apologies if this is a double-post, TTAC is being a bid odd today.
A Toyota Century.
And that would be the other.
Here in Canada, I remember how awesome it would be to drive a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 6 or Subaru WRX. 12 years later these types are relatively common.
I wouldn’t mind a Citroen C6 or a Toyota Century. The former for the funky French styling, the latter for pure waftability.
Ummm, I have done that exercise before.
See Mrs Corrigan, importing a car to any country is usually a bitch. Even more if it’s used. To name a few of the “barriers”: taxes, local regulations, local standards incompatibility. Also some of the countries with the custom of driving on the wrong side of the road, insist you convert a car with the steering on the correct side of the car to the incorrect one.
Back on topic I have configured:
Dodge Challenger. Sadly you can’t get the yellow+manual combination. There’s also no lemon twist color.
Holden Commodore. Guess which color I choose. Some of the options give you an idea of how rough is the habitat on which it may live.
Saab 9-3… on the Aussie site. I loved the idea of more than 1 interior color combination. No yellow, but the red and black were very nice.
Downloaded all the brochures for the Alfa 159 from again, the Aussie website. I could have done from the Italian one since I can read it, but they discontinued the Q4 version.
Cars I’d like to spec online:
2011 Ford Mustang GT or Boss
Z06 Corvette
Range Rover normal or sport (no silly diesel engines)
Ford Falcon (when it gets the 5.0 V8)
Cars I’d love to own:
71 Chevelle 2dr.
70 Camaro or end of 70’s Firebird/TA
91 Isuzu Impulse RS, one of the remaining few.
91-93 Isuzu Gemini Irmscher R, see above.
92 Isuzu Piazza
A current gen Challenger. No need to be a SRT8, but definitely with HEMI inside.
Alfa 159.
A Holden Commodore. V8. Manual. Can be a wagon. But must be 98+, if equipped with LS engine, all the better.
Modern Range Rover
MINI (for the wife)
Saab 9-3 Turbo X, or at least 2.8 Turbo + XWD
89 and 96 Caprice
00-04 Impala
C3, C4 and C6 Corvette
Manual E34 540i
EVO V or VI or some old WRX, wagon is tasty.
Previous gen Mazda 6
Dodge/Chrysler Neon
Did I mention I like yellow? Curiously, the cars I’ve bought have been red.
Volkswagen Golf R, withe 4 doors and a manual transmission. Lord knows that VWOA is spending seemingly forever making up their minds whether to sell them here in the US, and even if they do they will probably make it DSG only like the US spec Mark V R32.
Also, a Focus RS might be tempting…
The Citroen C6, hands-down. The ultimate “WTF is that?!?” car with great response material; “Why, my good man, it’s a Citroen, and is simply FLOATS!!”
Cadillac SLS.
It seems like the best big car that Cadillac has built in decades and I hate the idea of the XTS.
However, if the Park Avenue was available with a V8, that would win for me.
Since I work odd hours, I’ll occasionally stop by a car lot late night and see what’s currently being built. In one area, filled with several car lots, I remember looking at the enormous brand logos thinking hip hop culture has influenced car design, but then I looked across a sea of Hondas and Toyotas, then glanced across the street to GMs, Fords and a few others and realized that they all looked the same. In fact, the bling-worthy badges were the most unique feature. Even the cars designed to be different and quirky were all similarly different and quirky. I decided they’d all been put into a CAD program and this is what came out.
Anyway, as for a car I’d like to import, I’d like to try a Ford that’s sold in Europe, particularly a Focus RS, but that’s more curiosity than anything. The same for a few domestic market Japanese or German cars.
But if I could import anything and not have too much practicality get in the way, it would probably be something like a Morgan or Caterham.
The Australians get the coolest cars, in the coolest colors. I want a Sunburst Orange Ford Falcon FPV F6 please. 415hp and 412 lbs ft of torque can’t lead you wrong.
http://www.fpv.com.au/media/77912/fv%209613%20f6%20brochure_a4_ds_v7.pdf
There are RHD cars all over Vancouver, mostly Mitsubishi Delicas now.
They are tall enough that left turns aren’t as frightening as they are in the smaller RX-7’s and Skylines. They look like death machines otherwise, though really useful and utilitarian death machines.
People get by driving RHD cars on LHD roads but they get sick of the excitement pretty quickly.
If I could import any car I wanted? Toyota Hi-Lux diesel, wouldn’t really stand out from the crowd though.
I keep trying to respond, buy TTAC keeps eating my post for some reason.
I’d go with the Aussie Ford Falcon in FPV F6 trim, I6 + turbo + 415hp + 412lbs/ft of torque would make for a very fun sedan.
http://www.fpv.com.au/media/77912/fv%209613%20f6%20brochure_a4_ds_v7.pdf
For Canada:
Alfa 159
Citroen DS
Citroen C6
VW California Camper
VW Scirocco
Land Rover Defender
Stripped-down G-class
TTAC also keeps leaving my post in moderation purgatory.
GM has continued making RWD BOF cars the whole time, in the Caprice. Only you have to be in the middle east to get one. I also liked the Cadillac XLR, still available through GMME.
http://www.gmarabia.com/content_data/LAAM/ME/en/GBPME/999/G1/showroom_new.html?cntryCd=AE
Strangely, still four Saab models listed there.
I know it’s been redesigned, but I have always wanted a Renault Megane R26R. There is just some about this car that makes me realize why I love cars so much. And it doesn’t look like anything else, at least to me it doesn’t.
http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/siteimage/scale/800/600/52532.png
It looks like a small Vel Satis with a bad paint job.
And last, a Mitsuoka anything.
So what if they’re the Plymouth Prowlers of Japan?
Last-gen Audi RS4 Avant w/ stick
BMW 335i/335d M Sport wagon w/ stick
VW Golf R 4-door w/ stick or Scirocco R w/ stick
Audi S3 w/ stick
BMW 123d M Sport 5-door w/ stick
Opel Corsa OPC or Astra OPC w/ stick
SEAT León Cupra R w/ stick
Echoing sentiments that have already been expressed, I’d consider a:
-Ford Falcon XR6 (Australia)
-Citroen C6
-Alfa 159
-maybe a Lancia Delta III, if it doesn’t come here as Chrysler first
-Scirocco R, potentially
-a VW Santana from China, for the pure thrill of having a brand-new car that looks like it’s right out of the eighties. Cool name too.
Interestingly, a couple of posters here would want a Mitsuoka (like the Orochi). Just to remind you, the thingies go for about a hundred grand a pop. I believe CC’s question was about virtual shopping, that is to say, bringing a car you can actually afford. Otherwise, hell… with money being no object, I’d have a garage full of exotics.
Alfa Brera — in blue, please.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_Brera
Nothing like it on the roads here (anymore).
Something French – preferably Renault or Citroen.
Alternate choice: 80’s Nissan Skyline. On of my ex-co workers at the Honda shop brought in an R30 two years ago. I absolutely love that car. May make a stab for it on the (inevitable) day he finally puts it up for sale.
For me? The Alfa 159
What I’m wondering — worying — about, is: What do those phrases that the President/General Secretary shouts to the troops he inspects mean?
Do “Hong Sheh-Meh Haah!” and “Hong Sheh-Meh Kinkoolah!” (sorry for the transliteration, I only took Pig Latin) mean “Good morning, soldiers!” and “Keep up the good work, men!” — or is it “The Middle Kingdom Über Alles!” and “Death to the evil Round-eyes!”?
Just wondering…
New cars – As I live in Australia, we can get most of the funky cars that you folks seem to lust after, so… my current “kick tyres, possibly buy” wish list is fairly short:
VW Polo GTI with DSG <- probably my next car anyway
Citroen DS4 <- just the most beautiful car in a long time from anyone
BMW 1 Series before they destroy Bangle’s beautiful and engaging styling. If I wanted a beige anonymous appliance, I’d buy a Toyota Camry or the barge slab sided US Honda Accord
Old cars – I’d like a fully restored Citroen DS (the original).