quote:
Originally posted by phill1:
Charlie McCall writes:
I agree you'd have to be brave to try to get through the red tape to import an Si, but it was supplied with a EPA-legal Ford Mustang 5.0, so there should be no need to pull the engine, right? I know they are street legal in Switzerland, and they are the California of Europe (super strict emissions requirements).
Charlie:
The GTSI in question is in Germany not Switzerland so some further differences are in play. Also, I am reliably informed this particular car has a modified 400 hp Cleveland not the 302 which vastly compounds the problem of smogging it to 1990's standards. If you have seen the mass of equipment on a US Amerisport GT5-S, none of which is readily available today, imagine the time, expense and trouble in finding someone to design and fabricate it. And if, in the end it dosen't comply????
[This message has been edited by phill1 (edited 10-08-2003).]
[This message has been edited by phill1 (edited 10-08-2003).]
Okay let me fire up the dicussion. I was told sometime ago that I could very easily bring the car in, should I decide to move to the US. I was told I could possibly register the car in Montana. There is actually one owner who has used this approach for a Guara. He is one of the lucky ones to have such a beauty in the US.
I know Phil is trying hard to make it out as a nearly impossible car to register, but anybody who wants to be the first to have such a beauty in the US, Canada, etc. will have to go through the trouble of importing such a car. This applies to every and any country in the World! And remember there are only 35 (on the street) of these Worldwide and there will only ever be these 35. So who ever has the car knows for sure that he/she has a safe and secure investment for the future and the only one todate in the US and Canada. There are none on the market and it would seem unlikely to be any one on the market for some time.
Phil will surely be able to confirm. Phil I wanted to ask what experience do you have in importing such cars? I realise you seem to know an awful lot about the various regulations. Does anybody have any contacts to other specialist importers that deal with exotic and unique cars? Remember many of the former Ferarri's and Maserati's that you see some time on the street where not made or intended for the US market. Yet you see them for sale and on the streets. Maserati interestingly was part of the DeTomaso empire and parts were used on the GTSi. For example the digital Air Con unit is the same as in the Maserati'.
In any case, it will be interesting to see when the first GTSi appears in the US or Canada. Enjoy!