The USA might be one of the biggest and most powerful nations in the world, but that doesn’t mean that they have access to all the best cars in the world, with many vehicles being unavailable to American citizens.
While the USA is the home to the likes of the Ford and Chevrolet, offering some incredible rides to Americans, there are countless cars that simply never make it to the States, no matter how good they are. Within this article, we will list 10 examples of them, featuring some amazing cars from all around the world that you can never get in the USA.
10 Volkswagen Scirocco
This brilliant car is a popular one that was actually sold in the United States originally. There's a chance you could see an old one on the road still if it has been kept in mint condition.
However, in 1988 the Volkswagen Scirocco was replaced by the Volkswagen Corrado coupe, leaving its American fans upset by the fact they can no longer drive the stylish hatchback which has remained a popular vehicle across Europe. The latest facelift for the Scirocco came in 2014, with Volkswagen as it received a re-profiled bumper, along with a tweak to the grille and a LED daytime running lights to make the car flashier.
9 Peugeot RCZ
This French car is a stunning vehicle that became incredibly popular amongst enthusiasts and critics alike, winning Best Sports Car from Diesel Car Magazine, as well as being the 2010 Coupe of the Year by Top Gear.
However, this is another vehicle that has never made it across to America as Peugeot as a company has not sold a single car in America since 1992, meaning the United States has missed out on plenty of the companies best cars. With Americans preferring much bigger cars, Peugeot has never felt the need to produce cars in the country through fear of not making as much profit, but this RCZ would surely have done well.
8 Alfa Romeo Giulietta
The Alfa Romeo might be making its comeback in the U.S. but that doesn’t mean that every single version of the car is, with the incredible Giulietta hatchback being banned from American shores.
The family hatchback is an incredible car that is both aesthetically and mechanically brilliant, with a 2.0L diesel engine that can produce 148 horsepower, the car has plenty of power to back up the fact it is so visually pleasing. As with all Alfa Romeos, it is a high-end, luxury vehicle, designed with some top expertise whilst remaining a family car, but Americans have been banned from importing them so sadly, they will never find out
7 Toyota Hilux
Another vehicle that isn't available to those Stateside is the Toyota Hilux, which is a pickup truck that has a similar design to the SR5, but it does boast a few differences, with many people claiming the truck is very reliable. The Hilux is well built and because of that, it is able to perform well on rough terrains, with an optional 4WD that can handle certain off-roading, which is another element that makes it incredibly appealing.
Unfortunately, the Hilux never appeared on the American market. Given the age of the truck, the new generations are barred from import, which means this is another vehicle that will never be driven around America.
6 Jaguar XFR-S
While those living in Europe absolutely love station wagons, Americans tend not to have the same love for them, which is why many of the very best cars are not able to be bought in the United States. The Jaguar XFR-S is a perfect example.
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This sleek car is aesthetically pleasing and packs a punch as well with a 550 horsepower supercharged V8. It lives up to the station wagon reputation of having plenty of room in the back. Even though there are crossover versions of this car in the States, this English wagon is predominantly a European car and a very popular one at that.
5 Lotus 340R
The Lotus 340R is a very interesting supercar, built with a 4-cylinder version of the Rover K-Series, the car is capable of around 177 brake horsepower and is incredibly lightweight with superior weight distribution.
The Lotus can go from 0-60 in just 4.4 seconds, which, when considering the size of the engine is very impressive, not to mention that it certainly stands out in a crowd due to its unique design. However, this is another vehicle that isn't available in America as the Lotus never met the safety regulations due to its subcompact design, although it is road legal in the UK.
4 Toyota Sera
The Toyota Sera is one of the most unique cars that the company has ever produced, yet the vast majority of people have never had the chance to see one in person, let alone even think about driving it. The Sera is a 3-door, 2+2 hatchback that has a glass roof and butterfly doors, making it stand out from other Toyota models, with an impressive advanced surround audio system also being added to the car.
However, not only was this vehicle not brought to the American market, but it was actually restricted to just the Japanese domestic market, meaning this is a car that most of the world has never had the chance to experience.
3 Porsche Carrera 964
The Porsche Carrera 964 was almost identical to the Carrera 911 RS, even though it was released almost 20 years after the 911 RS, the design was based upon it, although it did include a revised engine. With an incredibly lightweight construction and the fact that Porsche stripped most of the non-essential features, the 964 has a brilliant power to weight ratio which makes the car a speed demon.
There was an American version of this car, the RS America, that was produced in 1993 and 1994, which was based on the Carrera 2, but the original Porsche 964 was restricted to European markets only, being banned from American import.
2 Aston Martin Virage
You would think that a company as big and important as Aston Martin would ensure that all of its vehicles were available in a market as big as the United States Of America, but the Virage was unfortunately not. After an 11 year hiatus, the Virage was re-released at the Geneva Motor Show and was an instant hit that was sharper than most of Aston Martin’s previous models with a 5.9 L v12 engine with 490 horsepower.
However, due to the fact that there was a lack of passenger airbags, the original was banned from America after failing to pass American emissions standards, meaning this stunning car wasn’t made available.
1 Bentley Azure Mark II
Luxury cars are something that everyone is interested in driving, and when Volkswagen acquired Bentley, the Azure was a stunning car in its first generation, and the company opted to create the Mark II.
The Mark II was equipped with a turbocharged V8 which created 450 horsepower and is an incredibly powerful vehicle, that not only performs well but looks incredible and has fantastic luxuries inside. However, the sale of the Azure Mark II was restricted to Europe, Russia, and the Middle East, with the Azure being placed on the NHSTA's nonconforming vehicle list.