Some of the Coolest Cars You Can Import to the U.S. in 2024

These foreign-market cars have passed the 25-year threshold to enter the United States.

Ben Hsu | 

Sep 20, 2024 | 4 min read

Nissan

Every year, a new crop of foreign-market cars turns 25 years old and becomes federally eligible for import to the U.S., even if those vehicles don't meet federal motor vehicle safety standards. Per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "a motor vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be lawfully imported into the U.S. without regard to whether it complies with all applicable FMVSS."

That means cars built in 1999 can be imported in 2024. Here are some of the coolest cars it's now possible to import, from familiar names such as BMW and Nissan to those more obscure, such as Pagani and Daihatsu.

BMW

BMW M Coupe/Roadster

Those in the U.S. may remember the 1998 to 2002 Z3 M Roadster and its hard-top M Coupe variant — sometimes referred to as the clown shoe for the shape of its profile. The initial U.S.-market six-cylinder engines had 240 horsepower.

Germany and other markets received a 317-hp version, making an already relatively quick, sharp-handling performance car even more potent. In 2001, a new engine gave U.S. models 315 horsepower. The less potent 1998 to 2000 M Coupes are rare cars, with just 2,180 North American-spec examples produced, according to the BMW M Registry.

Nissan

Nissan Silvia S15

Sold as the Nissan 240SX in the U.S. in the 1990s, this vehicle's Japanese-market counterpart is called the Silvia. Thanks to its balanced handling and compact rear-wheel-drive layout, the Silvia became a mainstay of late-1980s drifting culture and continues to be competitive in both underground and professional drifting decades later.

The S15 Silvia generation, sold from 1999 to 2002, came with 247 horsepower and a starring role in "Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift."

Nissan

Nissan Skyline GT-R R34

The Skyline GT-R was a genuine supercar slayer. Featuring a twin-turbo engine and all-wheel drive, the GT-R R34 generation was introduced in 1998.

In the mid-1990s, the Skyline GT-R R33 became the first production car to break the 8-minute barrier at Germany's Nürburgring, a famous proving ground for the world's performance cars. The follow-up GT-R R34 model is rumored among enthusiasts to have lapped the track even faster while under development. The vehicle came with a declared 276 horsepower and a manual transmission.

For several years, enthusiasts and speculators have been storing already-purchased R34s in Japan.

Pagani Zonda C12

Created by Horacio Pagani, the Zonda C12, introduced in 1999, was the former Lamborghini engineer's unique vision of a supercar. The C12 features a carbon-fiber body and an interior filled with old-school chrome bezels, leather straps, and netting. Its mid-mounted engine is a Mercedes-Benz V12, making up to 444 horsepower.

Initially sold for about $325,000, prices today have increased significantly. While it is technically eligible for import, your chances are slim. Just five C12s were built, and Pagani owns one.

Porsche

Porsche 911 GT3

The 996-generation Porsche 911 transitioned the sports car from air-cooled to water-cooled engines and also brought a controversial "fried egg" headlight design (so called because of their amber indicator lights and overall shape). Introduced in 1999 in all markets except North America, the 911 GT3 was stripped of features such as rear seats, power windows, and sound insulation material — all in an effort to save weight.

The GT3 used the body style of the Carrera 4, and Porsche added a race-derived 360-hp version of the 911 Turbo's six-cylinder engine, front-end stiffening, and more powerful brakes. A mere 1,868 copies of the 996.1 GT3 were built, according to website Porsche Knowledge, a help and advice resource for Porsche enthusiasts.

Toyota | Crown Royal, left, Athlete

Toyota Crown Athlete

Introduced in 1955, the Crown is one of the oldest continuously running automotive nameplates worldwide. As Japan's default high-end sedan for almost 70 years, the model has been used as taxis, police cars, and luxurious personal sedans. In 1999, Toyota introduced the Crown Athlete as a sporty trim level. Equipped with a six-cylinder engine, it combined performance with Lexus-like luxury.

TVR Tuscan Speed Six

Those in the U.S. may be unfamiliar with TVR, but it was once considered one of England's better sports-car brands, alongside Jaguar and Aston Martin. The company fell on hard times in the 1970s and 1980s but was revived in the late 1990s with flashy designs worthy of luxury exotics, such as the Tuscan Speed Six, launched in 1999.

A compact and extremely light body wrapped around a 350-hp inline-six-cylinder engine made the two-door sports cars hugely enjoyable to drive. The Tuscan had a brief moment of glory in the 2001 John Travolta action film "Swordfish." The TVR is also relatively affordable these days, averaging about $30,000.

Ben Hsu

Ben Hsu is a Southern California-based automotive journalist and historian who has specialized in classic Japanese cars for the last two decades. He drives an FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser and a Subaru SVX. He has also owned countless other vintage and modern vehicles.