Cars can be banned for a number of reasons, they might be too dangerous to operate or their emissions might be out of whack; whatever the case may be, some governments refuse to allow importing of certain vehicles without proper deliberation. Some vehicle bans might be justifiable when thinking objectively but quite a few have been barred from entering a number of countries for ridiculous reasons. The cars listed here are interesting, to say the least; they have distinct features that make them what they are, make them unique, and even make them collectible. This still doesn’t stop car manufacturers from designing mouthwatering automobiles that makes our skin crawl, folks who are unfortunate enough to have their authorities rule out the possibility of purchasing these types of cars can only watch from afar.
Unbeknownst to many people, racing competitions put in place numerous limitations and requirements in order to make the playing field even. One notable rule would be the homologation; this would mean that a manufacturer has to produce a specific number of units of a certain car to enter that vehicle in a race. More or less a couple of purpose-built race cars have been banned in the past due to being simply too overpowered for their category. You can bet these uncommon examples have accumulated a massive following throughout the years. Too advanced technology installed in a car has also forfeited a vehicle’s chance to compete as some would see this as a clear advantage against its opponents.
23 Can't Race: 1967 Penske Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
Cheating is usually scoffed at by the rest of society but if the act entails driving an extremely lightweight V8 Camaro then you can sign us up anytime.
The Majority of the body panels on the Penske Camaro were dipped into an acid bath that reduced the weight by almost 500 pounds, that’s a lot by high-performance racing standards.
The whole team was even in on the scandal, perpetrated with the execs pulling off the risky exploit. Tech inspectors discovered the fraud after the car had already won a few championships prior.
22 Can't Race: 1973 Porsche 917/30
Getting roughly 1,300 horsepower was unheard of way back in the 70s. Porsche had built a turbocharged flat-12 engine that could reach that number on the track but unfortunately, Can-Am organizers made a new regulation limiting the volume of fuel that can be carried during the race. This displeased a lot of teams and Porsche felt the new limitation was targeted right at them which made them pull out of the race entirely. Some would argue that the 917/30 was too quick and powerful for the event.
21 Can't Race: 2001 BMW M3 GTR
German engineering is among the best in the world and BMW is at the forefront of developing new technology. The ALMS had a BMW M3 GTR entry years ago that had a straight six engine but the team found it wanting in power.
This is the reason why they swapped the straight six for a V8 and the team thought it was great.
BMW complied with homologation rules but officials increased the minimum number of vehicles produced which prompted BMW to call it quits.
20 Can't Race: 1992 Williams FW14B
Formula One is extremely strict and rightfully so since so much lies on how well the cars perform in varying conditions. There have been previous attempts by different teams in gaining an unfair superiority by changing aerodynamic components on the car but none have tried installing active suspension except for the Williams FW14B. This gave the car an undeniable advantage as the suspension is crucial to any high-performance vehicle competing in a race. Officials were quick to ban the team after the discovery of the suspension set up.
19 Can't Race: 1970 Chaparral 2J
Aside from modern hybrids that cost a fortune to purchase, this 1970 Chaparral had in fact 2 functioning engines. Well, you know what they say; necessity is the mother of innovation. This proved to be true as racing teams conjured up extreme ideas to gain an edge against opponents. The 2J however, had a Chevrolet V8 that provided ample power to the wheels and another engine was powering a fan that sucked out air right from under the car. This created sort of like a vacuum that fastened the whole vehicle in tight corners.
18 Can't Race: 1978 Brabham BT46B
Participating in a Formula One race only once in its whole life, the Brabham proved it was too much for the FIA’s affinity as the legendary driver, Niki Lauda, put all the other drivers to shame in the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix.
Downforce is an immensely important factor for acquiring grip in the intense high-speed battles, putting on a large fan pointed upwards at the rear end of the car apparently is worlds better than just a fixed rear spoiler.
After its only race, the FIA immediately resolved a loophole in its rulebook that allowed this before.
17 Can't Race: 1968 Lotus 56
Indy is probably the Holy Grail for drivers all across the United States. The Lotus 56 was a participant in the said race and was leading by a couple of laps until the engine gave out and the car was deemed DNF.
Soon after, USAC officials decided that turbine engines and all-wheel drive systems were banned from entering the Indy 500.
If not for the engine failure, they quick Lotus would have finished the race soundly without even a threat from its opponents; that wouldn’t make for an entertaining race though.
16 Can't Race: IMSA Consulier GTP
Competing against renowned high-performance vehicles with the likes of Corvettes and Porsches is no easy feat, let alone outright winning against them. A year into the 90’s saw the end of the IMSA Consulier GTP as it was banned for being too “violent” for lack of a better term. IMSA even gave the Consulier a 300-pound penalty to keep the car from winning every single time. For those who aren’t aware, 300 pounds is a lot of weight for a performance vehicle and it would definitely hinder the abilities of both the car and the driver.
15 Can't Race: 1997 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet "T-Rex" Monte Carlo
Weirdly so, this beast of a Monte Carlo was in the rules but NASCAR race officials concluded that it was too fast for the rest of its competitors on the track.
The whole vehicle was built from scratch with a Chevrolet Monte Carlo body and at the wheel was Jeff Gordon who accordingly drove the thing like a T-Rex unleashed to eat a herd of Diplodocuses.
Being banned by simply being too radical in a race known for outlandish power says a lot of things, one of them being that this is definitely one car not to mess with.
14 Can't Race: Dauer Porsche 962
Porsche knows a thing or two about cars, the countless awards and innumerable wins in multiple racing categories are a testament to that. The 962 dominated in every single competition it joined including the Le Mans. Having a bigger fuel tank in an endurance race is a massive advantage as the car could stay longer on the track eating miles, or in this case, kilometers. It achieved an overall win in the GT class in 1993, right after the race though, officials deemed Porsche’s candidate out of future races.
13 Can't Race: WRC Toyota Celica GT-Four
Rally racing was all the rage back in the day as the whole sport offered even lowly minimum wagers a chance to have a go at motorsports. World Rally Championship (WRC) officials got concerned after a number of fatal crashes gave the competition a bad reputation.
This prompted them to put restrictions on power, specifically putting restrictor plates in all participants’ turbochargers.
The people behind the Toyota Celica did, in fact, install the required restrictor plates but designed the system such that the restrictor plates had no effect higher up in the rev ranges.
12 Can't Even Drive: 1995 Audi RS2 Avant
This single model is basically the car that started it all for Audi’s reputation for building high-performance vehicles with ample space and utility. Station wagons capable of getting from 0 to 60 in 4.8 seconds was unheard of when the RS2 Avant was released which understandably garnered loads of attention for the Germany-based automaker. Being widely popular among petrol heads around the globe, our friends at home sure did want to get their hands on this bad boy but their incredibly strict regulations always seem to suck out all of the fun out of everything.
11 Can't Even Drive: 1990 BMW E30 M3 Sport Evolution III
Hands down, the M3 is the best high-performance automobile ever made according to numerous, reliable, respectable vehicle reviewers. The engine having only 2.5 liters of displacement might not sound much to many but not everything lies on raw power.
Again, regulations are the bane of our existence and this majestic machine has been kept away from the prying eyes of the USA.
Only 600 examples of the Evolution III were made which, quite frankly, just doesn’t make the cut since the list of people wanting to own one of these might be as tall as the Eiffel tower.
10 Can't Even Drive: 1993 Jaguar XJ220-S
This British car manufacturer has a rather rich history in racing competitions. Limited to only 6 pieces, the Jaguar XJ220-S is the street-legal version of their XJ220-C (though not street legal in the United States). This sleek looking work of art catches the eye well and demands your attention at first sight. None of the 6 examples are in the US of A much to the our annoyance; this simply proves how much of a gem this 90s hero actually is.
9 Can't Even Drive: 1993 Lamborghini Strosek Diablo
A stock Lamborghini Diablo is by no means an ugly car but designer Vittorio Strosek thought the body wasn’t imposing enough on its own which is why he designed his version of the Diablo.
Reminiscent of a bull’s horns ready to pierce a man's face, the side mirrors are positioned at the tippy top of the A-pillars, definitely a homage to Lamborghini’s Raging Bull emblem.
As some people may already know, the United States has a 5 mph minimum speed bumper and the alterations were done to the bumpers don’t condone such cowardly requirement.
8 Can't Even Drive: 1996-2001 Lotus Elise S1
The predecessor of the immensely popular Lotus Exige didn’t quite experience the warm welcome from the far west as some might have expected. Lightweight, rear-wheel drive, mid-engine configuration, what more can anyone ask for? It’s a definitely fun vehicle to drive across long winding roads in the French countryside. One can get the maximum amount of joy in throwing the Elise around corners and experiencing its punchy acceleration. Once again, safety regulations are very much irritating. The Elise S1 isn’t even that dangerous to drive.
7 Can't Even Drive: 2002 Morgan Le Mans '62 Prototype
Yes, it’s built after the turn of the millennium but how come it’s more like a hot rod than a modern automobile you ask? Well, it was designed as a limited edition anniversary of the 1962 model Morgan Le Mans.
Recreating a 60s car will unsurprisingly get your company a bad rep from authorities as vehicles from that era lack a certain thing called “safety features.”
Drivers back then drove like real men, to hell with seatbelts and airbags; this is exactly what insurance companies are for!
6 Can't Even Drive: 1999 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V-spec
Immortalized in the exceedingly popular film franchise “Fast and Furious,” the R34 is a legend, a true 90s hero. No other car has made the car scene weep as much as the R34 GT-R when it was deemed too fast for government officials’ liking. Putting most supercars of the era to shame, the Nissan Skyline had one of the most advanced driving systems available and would make other vehicles twice or thrice its price a run for their money. Its cutting-edge all-wheel-drive system was all the rage when it first came out of dealerships.
5 Can't Even Drive: 2012 Lotus 340R
It’s absolutely no surprise why the most bare-bones Lotus can’t be driven in a lot of countries.
Safety features are basically non-existent and the lack of a roof decreases chassis rigidity so severely that one can expect the dashboard to have a few rattles after a couple of years in use.
Although the power to weight ratio is off the charts and the car handles extremely well, it’s such a shame that our friends at home won’t be able to experience the fun this well-versed vehicle can offer.
4 Can't Even Drive: 1992 Smart Crossblade
We can’t confirm if the Lotus 340R was modeled after the Smart Crossblade which was made 20 years prior as they have strikingly similar features. The absence of doors and a roof is quite notable in both cars which in turn, prompted many land transportation authorities in many countries including the United States to outright ban this vehicle. Safety will always be the top priority and we highly doubt the ’92 Crossblade can protect its passengers adequately in the unfortunate event of an accident.