The 25-year-old import rule sucks out loud. Period. Anyone who played Gran Turismo then went straight to a Nissan dealership looking for a Skyline learned quickly that America tends to get screwed over on some of the good rides. At 25 years old, all of a sudden those things that seemed to be of great concern (safety, emissions, etc.) don’t matter and the car can cross the border with some basic paperwork.
Nevermind the typical fare of R32 Skylines, here’s a few options from 1989 that meet the rule requirement that we think would make a killer ride.
1. Opel-Lotus Carlton
Image courtesy of Top Gear
The Opel Omega was ho-hum at best. Typically a four or six cylinder family car, things got interesting quickly when Lotus got ahold of the boxy little thing. They punched the Omega’s six cylinder out to 3.6L and slapped on two Garrett turbochargers and shoved in the Corvette’s six speed transmission. This 377bhp rocket would do 186 mph and would piss off the Germans, as they had started limiting their rides to 155 mph. Not bad for the car we ended up getting as the Cadillac Catera.
2. Toyota Soarer Z20
The predecessor to the 1990s Lexus SC, the Soarer is a rear-drive coupe with clean lines and a luxury interior. While the “Aerocabin” retractable roof semi-convertible is popular, if we had a choice, make ours the regular coupe with the manual transmission.
3. Aston Martin Virage
After replacing the 1970’s era V8, the Virage was the badass Aston until the DB7 Vantage appeared. Packing 330hp and 364 ft/lb of torque, the 5.3L V8 easily pushed the large coupe around with ferocity. While the U.S. did get the Virage for a couple of years, they are rare enough that importing one would be a viable alternative.
4. 1990 Mazda Cosmo
Image courtesy of PakWheels.com
If you can be patient enough until January, this is the Mazda to get. Essentially, the Cosmo is a luxury coupe version of the RX-7. Why not the 1989 Cosmo? Besides a look that was created in 1982, the 1990 Cosmo has the three-rotor 20B-REW rotary motor that pushes 300hp/300 ft/lb torque. In 1990 that was a damn good number, especially from a country where there was a “gentlemen’s agreement” that restricted horsepower to 276hp for years.
Would you pick any of these? Is there one you’d rather bring in that we didn’t put up? Let us know below!
crazy thing is in Australia lots of these are quite common..and therefore pretty cheap. 4 or 5 grand will pick you up a nice Skyline or Soarer, and ratty ones are even cheaper…how about an 89 Soarer twin turbo for a grand? http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/kellyville/cars-vans-utes/1989-toyota-soarer-gz20-twin-turbo/1052614015 or maybe an R33 1996 Skyline for 5k http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/driver/cars-vans-utes/1990-nissan-skyline/1053053047 How about a 1991 Lexus V8 coupe for a shade over 2 grand? http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/rowville/cars-vans-utes/1991-toyota-lexus-soarer-uzz31-v8-coupe/1052410357
Great choices Bryan – I vote all of the above!
None of the above, I choose the Toyota Land Cruiser VDJ79 Ute.
Blasted Aussies get all the cool cars.
Yes. Absolutely yes.
funny that, us aussies dont like the hungry diesel v8 with all its problems…all the mines and the public wish we could still get the 6 cylinder turbo……10 hours to change starter motor, fit the oil filter wrong, blown engine (common) bad fuel, need new injectors $8000.
Seeing as how you neglected to make the BNR32 Skyline GT-R and the JZX100 Toyota Chaser options, I’ll go with the Cosmos for that turbo 20B rotary power
Great call on the Chaser. I was avoiding Skylines because that’s usually the immediate go-to answer. After seeing an R32 in Tacoma do it’s thing, I understand why.
Yeah, I was at Formula D NJ and there was a Canadian fellow in a JZX100 Chaser with an 800hp 1JZ. I was blown away by how tossable it was for such a massive car.
Well the GTR isn’t quite 25 years yet, and the JZX100 has several years to go before its 25.
I had a Soarer like that. Had a 1jz swapped into it and a host of other goodies. Wonderful car, great style.
I’d be looking to Japan to bring in cars like E30 M3 wagons. The original Audi Quattro would be an amazing car to have if you could somehow pay for one.
The glass roof, B16 power Honda crx is a neat little pocket rocket also.
The original Audi Quattro was available in the US and there are usually at least a few for sale at any given point in time so no need to import . The only ‘ original ‘ Quattro that wasn’t available in the US was the Quattro Sport …. which would be a mighty fine choice IMO if were not for the RS2 mentioned below
In all honesty …. none of the above ! They were all dogs in their day and still are today … albeit the Aston Martin being a rather expensive dog .
No …. there’s a whole raft of cars I wish had come here or that I could legally import such as the Bristol 411 … the ‘ real ‘ contemporary Toyota FJ’s and Hilux’s , the Honda NSX evolution models and the Aussie Utes someone mentioned .
The Opel-Lotus Carlton was far from a dog when it was new. It was far faster than the contemporary M5 and was considered to be “too fast for public roads” by some. Many have described it as a truly psychotic, insane rocket ship of a car.
Ahem … all the UK reviews including CAR etc back in the day stated point blank that the cars handling was pathetic despite Lotus’s involvement … the quality fit and finish was abysmal … the ride miserable … and that the cars ONLY saving grace was in fact the power and speed … but only in a straight line mind you . Add all that up along with miserable sales and even worse residuals when resold and you’ve got yourself a genuine ‘ Dog ‘ . Albeit in some less than discerning circles … a cult hero ‘ Dog ‘ … but a dog never the less
Like I’ve told the Brian/Bryan’s … don’t mess with the ‘ Slinger ‘ when it comes to British iron 😉
I think EVERYONE by now knows you’re the self-proclaimed know-it-all about “British iron” and frankly, no one gives a damn. Even if you do, by chance, know more, it doesn’t give you a license to act like a pompous ass towards anyone and everyone that may make a comment about a British brand (or ANY brand you claim to know more about). Please, for the love of Jesus, Buddah, Allah and whoever else people pray to, STOP.
Man you are such a troll.
The Soarers are one of the best ‘bang for buck’ cars around, even if they are getting on in years now. Wait until the post 1991 ones become available for the USA.
While the USA got the Lexus SC400, it didn’t get the twin turbo 1JZ-powered version. 14 flat quarter mile completely stock and easily modded into the 12s.
Handling is not their strength as they are built as a grand tourer, with lots of luxury features. But a great car for eating up miles and straight line speed.
Skylines, Soarers and Cosmo’s are dogs??? Have you ever driven or even seen one?? Sorry GS, calling you out on this one. you are 100% WRONG. We have many many Skylines and Soarers on the road here. Skylines in particular are powerful, good handling durable rockets. Trying to stay civil, mate, but if you are this wrong on this one it throws just about every other opinion you have into doubt…
Having seen an early Toyota Soarer in person, that’s the one I want.
At the top of my ‘ You can’t have that here ‘ list would have to be;
The Audi RS2 .
The Porsche developed mad as a hatter and could blow away most Ferraris of the day [ along with giving the majority of Porsches a hard time as well ] wagon with AWD that handled like it was on rails [ I’ve driven my CH cousins many times so this I know first hand ] for the inner hoon in all of us needing a bit of room for either family … or in my case the tools of ones trade
A Wartburg with a V8 swap.
If I was going to import something from Australia, I think I would rather have a ’75 Ford Falcon GT. And, yes, I have seen the previews to the new Mad Max movie.
Shouldn’t you have some sort of Ford Sierra Cosworth Escort on this list?
Cozzie Escort or RS200? I’d go for the RS…I love batshit crazy.
Buy American!
But if you just have to import an old car, I’m thinking maybe an ’89 Nissan March Super Turbo . . . or a Mid ’70s Falcon coupe . . . or an RWD Escort set up for rallycross . . . . OR A MORGAN!
The March Super Turbo is a pocket rocket, with the weird turbocharged AND supercharged 0.9L engine.
Give me the Opel Lotus
I’ll take a Aussie muscle car, a Valiant Charger with the HEMI Six Pack or a Ford Falcon XBGT.
Better late than never…. I just lately heard out about the 72-73 Opel Firenza, a South Africa Opel with a 302 Chevy Z28 engine. Seems there were 100 produced to get them legal for some kind of road rally class. You’d probably have to pick me up with a stick and a spoon if I had bought one back then.
Z20, sexy looking cat IMO….see I can take a hypothetical question…and answer it with the choices give.n…it’s not hard….not sure why so many have such a hard time with this game….smh…
I am truly disappointed you didnt mention the ford escort rs cosworth !
25 yr rule or not…we needed the M5 Touring Wagon here in the states. My time is valuable and grocery shopping now that I have kids takes a S#%tload of time.
Carry On