In the car world, we often pine for rides that seem unobtainable in our homeland. Whether it’s certain JDM vehicles we drool over, or exclusive European models that were never bound for America. Or… if you’re anything like me… wanting every Aussie muscle car (especially the UTEs). Whatever it is – there’s a magic & mystique in craving what’s not readily available. And regrettably, instead of working in unity to update laws that prevent access to certain vehicles, we often get sidetracked by frustration, bureaucracy, & conspiracy theories. But seriously… why are our hands so tied when it comes to importing the cars of our dreams?
Let’s dive deeper into history for a moment…
Post-WWII, returning soldiers were known to ship back the European roadsters & other automotive gems they’d fallen in love with overseas. This continued until 1966 when the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act changed everything. Emissions laws kicked in shortly after, aiming to curb pollution.
The NTMVSA also introduced mandatory safety-related design changes for all vehicles sold in the US, regardless of origin. As a result, elegant automotive designs became marred with protruding bumpers… a visible scar of regulatory impact. This era marked the beginning of a long legislative journey that would shape our current laws, as well as our attitudes towards importing cars.
The gray market…
Gray market vehicles – is a term we toss around but rarely unpack. The gray market had its heyday in the ’80s, where opportunistic merchants, returning military personnel, and even official US dealers bypassed standard import channels… bringing in cars with unique features or engines not available in US models.
These models were made without the regulatory oversight that often cut into the profits of manufacturers worldwide. Merchants would bypass official import channels, making it much cheaper to buy your foreign car overseas. The extent? Even big box stores joined in – you could purchase vehicles directly from an overseas merchant, saving 30-60% compared to going through official channels. Mercedes Benz, for instance, saw over 20% of its US sales through this gray market activity, including sales by its own dealers. It created a paradoxical situation that undermined their brand. But simultaneously, it let Americans buy the cars they wanted, at the prices that wanted, without unwanted legislative intervention.
While some argue that domestic automakers influenced lawmakers to keep certain desirable cars out in an effort to protect local sales, the reality is that both foreign & domestic manufacturers felt the impact of gray market sales in the US. The economic impacts were huge. Gray market imports were a thorn in the side of both foreign & domestic car manufacturers. They had to grapple with lost revenue and brand dilution, not to mention the complexities of supporting cars that weren’t officially supposed to be here. But let’s not forget, this isn’t just an American story. Car enthusiasts who live overseas often express their own FOMO for the iconic American rides we take for granted. It’s a global phenomenon… this desire for the forbidden fruit of the automotive world.
When it comes to the allure of imported cars…
The FOMO is real, and it’s echoed by many across the globe. Wanting what we can’t have has become a significant part of it. But beyond that, it’s also about freedom of choice, and the thrill of pursuing unique, historical, artistic, undiluted driving experiences. Our current regulations, while admittedly somewhat necessary to ward-off mass abuse, could benefit from some common-sense reevaluation. Enthusiasts don’t mind a bit of red tape. But if the alleged issue behind all this is ‘our safety’, no one’s going to be more road-conscious & drive more defensively than an enthusiast behind the wheel of a sought-out dream car. Who knows, maybe there’s a middle ground where safety, desire, freedom, and law-making could meet. Wouldn’t that be something?
