What brands/cars are not available in your home market (officially) that you wish were?

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Slightly inspired by the 'build your own automotive empire' thread.

While I know most (?) other countries don't have our ludicrously draconian grey market laws, each market tends to have a pretty distinct selection of vehicles to purchase. For us in the US, that generally means big & bland cars.

So for yourself particularly, (this isn't a thread of what you think would actually sell well in your market) which brands and/or cars do you wish were available?

There are two I wish were available in the US. Suzuki and Renault. I'm a big fan of both brands and I wish they were here. I honestly could see myself with a two car garage consisting of only Suzuki products, the Swift Sport (first gen) and the new Jimny. How awesome would that be? Maybe I need to move to Japan.

I also adore the Renault Twingo (all versions) and the Renault Clio and generally anything Renaultsport. I really dislike that the rural car-owning majority dominate automotive landscape in the US. There are comparatively a lot fewer city-type car options.

 

[05XR8]

I can pretty much import many compliant cars http://rvcs-prodweb.dot.gov.au/sevs/sevsindex.htm I'd want Daihatsu back in and Cadillac.

I miss my 1L Charade. Today, I'd have a Daihatsu Canbus and/or Thor and wouldn't mind having a Cadillac V series wagon.

 

[homeforsummer]

I'd quite like to see Daihatsu back in the UK, too. I'm not really sure what for, beyond the Copen, but the automotive landscape feels like a slightly less interesting place since the Copen, Terios, Materia etc went away.

As for individual cars, first on the list would be the Honda S660. I want my small ridiculous sports cars, dammit.

 

[Volksauto]

I would love to see French makes like Peugeot, Renault, Citroën and Alpine return to the USA.

 

[kikie]

The Nissan R34 GT-R left hand drive.

 

[Danoff]

I think my biggest complaint for the US market is the short shrift we get in the wagon department (some will see this as counter to my performance SUV stance, but I just like cars.. lots of them). So the M5 touring, RS4 Avant, RS6 Avant.

 

[CSMDuty11]

Holden Commodores.

...And Ford Falcons and Mitsubishi 380s and TRD Aurions.

 

[05XR8]

How about that? This thread started and these two are on the market:
https://www.carsguide.com.au/cars-f...y=cg_s.427c0ace95e1c1c86e452620fc34a038#pos10

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/de...-5581393?pageSource=details&id=SSE-AD-5581393

 

[kikie]

Honda S660 Kei Car.

 

[motortrend]

Mugen RR

All wagons really but this one especially:

Don't care a lot about Renault but I'd love to see these in US roads:

 

[Volksauto]

I think my biggest complaint for the US market is the short shrift we get in the wagon department (some will see this as counter to my performance SUV stance, but I just like cars.. lots of them). So the M5 touring, RS4 Avant, RS6 Avant.

It's pretty funny to think that wagons used to be one of the most popular kinds of vehicles in the US for decades. Once vans and SpOrTs uTiLiTy VeHiClEs exploded in production. Now American car brands are like what's a station wagon??

 

[Tornado]

I wish that the US got more cars in sub-Fit size class besides just the 500 and the Fortwo. Don't need the entire gamut of third world dumping ground vehicles when the Mirage can soak all that up, but stuff like the VW Up and Toyota Aygo are charming little cars I'd certainly rather have over a Versa or Sonic or whatever.

 

[Populuxe]

I would love to see French makes like Peugeot, Renault, Citroën and Alpine return to the USA.

This is my answer, too. I would love to see the French Big Three (and Alpine, probably through Renault) return to the US. I know Peugeot and Citroën are actively looking into it (along with their new sister brands Opel, Vauxhall and DS). I think Renault is less likely since it's part of Nissan and Carlos Ghosn is unlikely to make the investment simply to add a brand to the US that could steal sales from Nissan.

It's pretty funny to think that wagons used to be one of the most popular kinds of vehicles in the US for decades. Once vans and SpOrTs uTiLiTy VeHiClEs exploded in production. Now American car brands are like what's a station wagon??

Ugh. Don't get me started. The most infuriating trend in marketing, almost 100% the fault of the Germans, is calling every lifted station wagon a cross-over or SUV. And it if doesn't have a formal notchback roof, call it a coupe. Even though 4-door wagons, crossovers and SUVs are not even remotely a coupe.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

...Don't need the entire gamut of third world dumping ground vehicles....

Speak for yourself!

 

[Jmac279]

Midsized Sedans with a 6-speed manual and at least mid-level trim/powertrain options and under $50k CAD.

At this point, my options are: Honda Accord

 

[05XR8]

Funny, the van my wife wants(Renault Trafic F1 Edition), we're seeing so many of the different variants on the road. Not just the commercially used ones . Personal van use is rising(a coworker bought a Ford Transit. So did a friend of mine in the Gold Coast) and the Trafic looks the best. The USA would eat it up.

I do miss my '05 Odyssey. If Australia got that one, it'd be the best seller. It's 255hp V6, was a beast on I-95.

 

[Joey D]

I have a weird affinity for Skoda, so probably it. Its products seem more interesting than the run-of-the-mill VW.

Also, I'd like to see international Toyota models here as well. The Tacoma and 4Runner are good, but a HiLux and Prado would probably be better - at least for people who want to use them off-road.

Oh and the Dodge Neon that's sold in Mexico that's really a Fiat Tipo. I want a Neon again, even if it's terrible.

 

[Volksauto]

I wish the United States can once again have Volkswagen Transporters. The new T6s look very neat especially the campers! The VW Transporter was available in the U.S. for a long time! A very iconic vehicle especially on the west coast. The T1, T2, T3, and T4 were available but once the T5 came around... where did it go?

 

[Tornado]

They didn't bother importing it because the T4 had already flopped on the American market twice, and the non-Dodge competition in the segment was way stronger by the time the T5 came out.

 

[homeforsummer]

VW Up

I'm wondering how the Up GTI might do out there. My feeling is that it'd probably meet the minimum performance the American market expects from a car (0-60 in sub-9, 120+ mph), and that VW nerds and people living in cities would lap it up, but I wonder whether it'd be too small to be taken seriously. I don't know what kinda volumes say, Abarth 500s or Mini Coopers sell in out there, but given the Up is closer in size to the former and less powerful than either it's still somewhat of a niche product by American standards.

I mean over here it's got a 10-month waiting list so that shows how the UK/Europeans react to it, but America has always been fairly hostile to smaller cars, sadly.

The Up in general and the Up GTI in particular are great though. The GTI is the only car right now that I could realistically afford that I'd seriously consider buying if I wasn't so careful with money. If they're still making it when the time comes that I get utterly fed up with running older cars I still might.

 

[AerodyManiac]

As somebody else has already mentioned, it’s really disappointing that the new Alpine A110 is only available in European and Japanese markets, as I’d love to see (or even own, if I had the money) one in the flesh in HK.

Slightly unrelated, but I’d also love to see a RHD 918 Spyder offered.

 

[Turbo]

I think my biggest complaint for the US market is the short shrift we get in the wagon department (some will see this as counter to my performance SUV stance, but I just like cars.. lots of them). So the M5 touring, RS4 Avant, RS6 Avant.

I feel the same way. Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that wagons will never enter a renaissance period and reach popularity in the US, like they do in Europe. Even truly competent offerings in the wagon department still end up with lacklustre sales. For one, buyers' archaic views on wagons still remain, to some extent; back before the minivan boom 30 years ago or so, wagons were seen as nothing more than uncool family haulers (the same way minivans are perceived). The rise of the minivan essentially wiped out almost all wagon offerings by the mid-90s, even old-fashioned ones like the Caprice/Roadmaster. With crossovers being the "new minivan" in this era, wagons are still unlikely to at least sell moderately. Truth is, most buyers over the age of 35 buyers either decide between a mid-size sedan or a CUV, wagons not even being on the table. And even in the performance sector, wagons are still severely underrepresented, being outsold by far by performance SUV/Cuvs (RSQ3, SQ5, X5/6 M).