Some Excellent Cars From 1999 Are Finally Legal To Import

Never has there been a cooler compact people carrier than the Audi A2. This thing was produced entirely in aluminum to keep weight down, was aerodynamically sculpted, fitted with a tiny 3-cylinder diesel engine, and produced an astonishing 78 miles per gallon. While none of these are quick, they’re under 2,000 pounds and look cool as heck. Imagine what one could do with a 2-liter turbo swap from a Volkswagen GTI or something. Rad!

Often simply called a Picasso, this was the French answer to the A2 and Mercedes A-class. Top trims got 136 horsepower and could do 0-60 in 10.9 seconds. This car was lauded for its practicality and affordability in its time, and its unique shape would make it a standout here in the U.S. streets.

If you’ve ever wanted a two-door hatchback on stilts, then you need to import a first-generation Honda HR-V. It was based on the slightly-larger-than-Kei Honda Logo, but with the all-wheel drive system from the CR-V, and was available with a stick. K-swap this mother and send it!

The Proudia was Mitsubishi’s answer to the Toyota Crown and Nissan Cima in an era of luxury sedan prominence for the Japanese market. Like those cars, the Proudia featured a tech-laden dual-overhead-cam V8 — the only V8 Mitsubishi ever produced. Unlike the Toyota and Nissan, however, the Proudia was front-wheel drive. Only 383 examples were built in 1999, so finding one might be a chore.

If the Mitsubishi proves too difficult to track down, you might be able to find the Hyundai version. Back in 1999, Hyundai started moving itself upmarket, and cribbed the Proudia for its own, marketed as the Equus. While Hyundai said it was aiming for the BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-Class, it was really meant to fight its home-market rival SsangYong’s Chairman (introduced in 1997, based on the Mercedes W124-chassis E-class, and also a worthy import).

The early days of the EV market were a wild ride, weren’t they? Back in late 1999, Nissan introduced the HyperMini for the Japanese market. It made 32 horsepower and was capable of 62 miles per hour. It could go a whopping 71 miles on a single charge. This would make an incredible daily commuter, if your commute is short enough. Throw a bigger motor on the back axle and do some electric skids.

Okay, this is a bit of a cop out, because Noble only produced ten M10s before switching over to M12 production. Unlike the M12's turbocharged insanity, the M10 used a naturally-aspirated Ford Duratec 2.5-liter V6, and was a worthy competitor to the early Lotus Elise. Don’t take my word for it, listen to a very young Richard Hammond.

If you’re going for a throwback luxury German highway eater, you absolutely have to look at Alpina. Sure, only 94 of them were built, but you can’t go wrong with a BMW E38 7-series that has been tuned up to 424 horsepower with a 6-liter V12. It was fitted with Alpina’s iconic wheel in chunky sizes and was capable of a 5.9-second sprint to sixty. All in the absolute lap of luxury.

If you prefer your German bahn-burner to be turbocharged and wagon-y, then you need to get yourself a B5-generation Audi RS4. It’s still quite rare — though not nearly as rare as the Alpina — with 6,030 units constructed. The 2.7 twin-turbo V6 is a maintenance-heavy affair, but with Cosworth massaging, it produced an impressive 375 horsepower. Pay the premium for Nogaro Blue, it’s worth it.

Some of my favorite hot hatches are French, and usually Renaults. Following the success of the Clio 16V and Clio Williams, Renault Sport introduced the Clio R.S. with 172 horsepower for 1999. It was soon overshadowed by the wild mid-engine 2001 Clio V6, but the 172 will always have a place in my heart.

Okay, this is another cop out, because if you really wanted a Zonda you already imported one under Show and Display rules, but technically they were never sold here, and now you can get one without restrictions. Only five cars were built in the original 6-liter Mercedes-Benz V12 configuration, so good luck finding one.

Based on the incredible sixth-generation Honda Accord, the Avancier was basically a taller version of the Accord Wagon with a unique look to it. You could get it with the venerable J30A V6 engine, but sadly it was automatic-only.

If the Avancier is too staid for your liking, go get an Accord Wagon SI-R. This nasty machine had a unique H23A 2.3-liter DOHC VTEC engine making 200 horsepower and revving out to 7,200 rpm. Where can you find another wagon that will provide that kind of engine dynamic? I need one.

Based on the Daihatsu Mira, the Naked was a little off-roader Kei hatch with rugged looks, and it’s just so damn cute. You could get this little monster in front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and I recommend the latter. It only has a 658-cc engine, though the turbocharger was optional. The NA version is not going to be capable of highway speeds, and the turbo will still be sluggish. Kei cars weren’t built for U.S. infrastructure, but they’re great around town or on slower roads.

Ferruccio Lamborghini’s son Tonino started a car company, too. While not as successful as Lamborghini, or really any good, Town Life built some interesting Italian micro cars from 1999 to 2001. The Ginevra model was powered by your choice of a 505-cc gasoline or diesel engine, while the Helektra was electric. In Italy these cars were considered mopeds, so 14-year-olds could drive them.