Every year marks the 25th anniversary of countless automobiles from around the world and that’s important. That age makes every car, regardless of origin or safety standards, federally legal here in the USA. Here’s a quick rundown of five very cool cars from 1999 that become legal in 2024.
Before diving too deep let’s review why these cars are now legal to own. In the USA, cars that aren’t homologated for the US market aren’t legal here aside from some very rare cases. The vast majority of non-USM cars have to wait til they’re 25 years old before they can be legally imported, titled, and insured.
TVR Tuscan Speed Six
Few cars look as bold and as daring as the Tuscan Speed Six. TVR isn’t a brand synonymous with quality but that doesn’t make this two-door sports car any less exciting to drive. A 350 hp (261 kW) inline-six engine sits under the two-stage hood and all of that power gets routed straight to the rear wheels. No, it likely won’t be easy to maintain but it’ll turn heads everywhere it goes. There are at least two already here in the States and they’re our lead image and the one from Las Vegas above.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI
The US market didn’t get the Lancer Evolution until 2003 and by that time it was in its eighth generation. That means that seven others came and went without being available in the States and in 2024 the sixth-gen becomes legal to import to the USA.
Read: What’s The Very First Car That Pops In Mind When You Think Of Japan?
It, like so many other JDM cars, has a stated horsepower rating of 276 (205 kW) but the real figure is likely higher. As practical imports go, the Lancer EVO VI is near the top of the pile thanks to five functional seats and a reasonably reliable powertrain,.
Audi A2
Real practicality belongs to the funky Audi A2 though. This balloon-shaped automobile was launched in late 1999 as a 2000 model. It leverages aluminum to decrease overall weight and what Audi learned by building it went into future cars like the A8 and TT. While it arrived without Audi’s famous Quattro AWD system, it still made a mark thanks to its styling, practicality, and build quality.
Nissan Silvia (S15)
Non-JDM fans might recognize the general shape of this car as familiar and they’d be right. Nissan sold the previous generation of this car, the S14, in the USA as the 240SX. When the company ended production for the US in 1998, it continued it in Japan as this, the Silvia.
More: There’s A Stash Of Holden And HSV Cars For Sale In Tennessee
It’s an improvement over the previous car in just about every way but perhaps most of all in terms of styling. The S15 Silvia is available with either a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. At most, they make around 250 hp (186 kW) and benefit from rear-wheel drive.
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)
What list could be complete without mentioning the R34 Skyline GT-R? This singular car has been the source of so much desire and numerous somewhat shady attempts (some successful) at bringing them into the USA prior to 2024. It’s historic for a number of reasons including its style, its twin-turbocharged inline six, and its performance. Up until now, these have gone for over six figures at times so it’ll be interesting to see how prices fluctuate now that anybody can import them.