This morning, I wrote a story about how the United States and Europe are potentially working on a trade deal where both parties might agree to lower trade barriers by accepting each other’s standards. Here’s what the White House said:
With respect to automobiles, the United States and the European Union intend to accept and provide mutual recognition to each other’s standards.
We have no idea how this would play out because, as of publishing, no clarification has been given. But let’s have some fun. Let’s say a scenario happens where you can now import a brand-new European market car without having to convert it to U.S. standards. For the purposes of this exercise, the car has to be new and on sale in Europe right now. For this, we’re assuming the rule would not be retroactive. That means no Renault Avantimes or Smart Roadsters, sorry!
With those rules set, I have a couple of ideas for what I would buy. An obvious enthusiast pick would be the Alpine A110. I got to see one of these at the Lane Motor Museum, and I immediately fell in love. What I really like about the A110 is the fact that it’s not ridiculously overpowered and not bloated with all kinds of weight.
As MotorTrend once wrote, the A110 weighs an entire middleweight motorcycle less than a 2.0-liter Porsche 718 Cayman. It’s a small car that hits 60 mph in the low four-second range, hugs curves, and looks beautiful without all of the sharp creases and jagged edges that so many modern cars have. What’s not to love? Read Adrian Clarke’s review. I highly recommend it! I mean, he says, “It’s Sort Of A French Lotus But Better.”
The A110 is an easy pick, but what about regular cars? Admittedly, if given the chance, I’d probably try one of the new Smart electric crossovers. One of my life’s missions involves owning at least one of every Smart put into production. That means I’ll have to buy these “huge” Smarts, too. But honestly, these SUVs don’t even seem that bad.
Here’s the Smart #5, which I once said looked like a Jeep Renegade. I still think that, today. Now, this crossover thing is about the exact opposite of what a Smart is, but I’m sure I wouldn’t care, given its output of up to 638 HP. It even has nifty 800-volt architecture, 400 kW charging, and LFP batteries.
On the two-wheeled side of things, Europe also gets motorcycles that are apparently too cool for Americans. Let’s say that the proposed rule would include bikes. I would love to try out one of those new BSA Gold Stars and see if they’re just as fun to ride as a modern Royal Enfield.
I would also be more than crazy enough to try out the Italjet Dragster 700 Twin. I mean, who could say no to a sportbike in scooter clothes that has a top speed of 118 mph?
Here’s where I turn things over to you. Let’s say that, tomorrow, the American government says that you can now buy any new European car or motorcycle that you want. But it has to be new. What are you buying?
Volkswagen Amarok
Alpine A110 all the way. I’m still furious they plan to bring electric crossovers here instead of a proper combustion-powered lightweight sports car like their entire heritage is built upon…
I was also about to say the Citroen Spacetourer, but apparently they just discontinued that… It was one of the best-looking new Minivans in the world, but I guess we’re not getting it for a couple decades at least.
I’d also be interested in a Hyundai Staria, the other great-looking minivan we don’t get here. Basically, I want all the forbidden minivans, because while the Toyota Sienna is great and all, it really is maddening that we have so few minivan options on the market. They still might not be as good as the Sienna, but any extra variety in the minivan space is welcome and desperately needed.
Oooh also the Ford Transit Sport, a sporty van is a dream of mine!
Another vote for the A110. I’d seriously consider swapping a 911 for one.
Yep, it’s a beautiful and charming little sports car with an interesting mid-engine drivetrain for a reasonable price, what’s not to love? Every review I’ve ever seen of it said it was a wonderful car to drive, one of the best enthusiast cars currently on the market. It’s the kind of car American enthusiasts are starving for, yet they won’t let us have it, and it’ll probably be discontinued before any new legislation validates cars built to European standards for the American market. So, we still end up stuck with whatever electric drivel Alpine makes in the future (I don’t even hate EVs, they’re fine as commuter cars, I just don’t like all the “fun” car brands abandoning what enthusiasts actually want).
I would have said Skoda Yeti, but it’s no longer made, so VW Polo GTI. Or maybe a Caterham 7 if I could afford it.
You know I’ll be the first one in line for a Fiat Panda!
oooh those new ones are so bomb. The design kinda reminds me of modern Hyundais.
Last year I drove a Seat Leon Sportstourer (wagon) as a rental in Bavaria, and I LOVED it. Cupra, the “sporty” VW brand that also owns Seat, has their own version, the Cupra Leon Estate; I’m sure that’s equally great.
VW Golf Sportwagen R!!!
This
Volvo V60 ( not cross-country )
What is the tariff situation? Some Chinese brand, Chinese built EV such as a BYD Dolphin, just for the entertainment value of exploiting a loophole
If the electric A110 comes in at under 3,000 lbs, and makes it over stateside, I will be mildly interested. If it comes in at under 2,500 lbs, I would be highly likely to buy it.
I think the real question is, what am I bringing to Europe?
Lincoln Navigator Black Label (I’m friends with a guy who sells these, pretty sure he’ll cut me a deal…)
RAM RHO
GMC Canyon AT4
Challenger Hellcat Redeye, in black.
Just the normal Heni would be fine. I don’t like the wide arches on the Hellcat versions. But I thought they stopped selling these now?
They made narrow body ones!
Slinky. Just like me.
I’m sure your neighbors would be thrilled with your massive barge taking up the majority of the street!
At least it won’t be a fucking Rodius.
You are truly “That Guy” on your block, haha!
This deal is with EU, not UK.
No putting a Dodge in your garage.
Thanks for nothing, Farage.
Never underestimate the man in black.
The irony is I’ve been spending a few days in his constituency visiting what remains of my family. It’s a shit hole.
The SWB, panel van version of the ID Buzz.
Citroen Ami. There’s a market for them here, I know it. They just need the 28MPH speed limiter removed.
*Supposedly* Fiat is bringing over the Topolino, which is effectively an Ami.
That should give the electric Moke some competition in the Key West market
There is a model without speed limiter. The speed limiter is only for the model you can drive without a license
Ford Puma. A not unattractive small crossover that’s practically a hatchback by US standards, with rally car DNA and manual available.
Fairly boring but Skota Octavia Combi diesel. Would love to get alot of the Japanese global stuff they get but doubt would qualify. You never know maybe a Dacia duster pickup if the price is right.
I rented one of these in Ireland this summer and it was a great car. I wanted the Renault Grand Megane but the rental company had the Octavia as the or similar and it worked great with four adults covering most of the southern half of the country.
Standard 3-series and A5 (non-allroad) wagons; RS3 hatch (saw one in District Green in Florence two weeks ago and it looked stunning). I was going to say Fiat Panda, but the 4×4 version is dead, I think, which was a majority of the appeal to me. If that ever is put back into production, count me in.
This is wonderful news for the Dacia Sandero!
James May would have to do a series taking a sandero across America while promoting his gin
I would meet him wherever he stops with it if that were the case, I very much enjoy his gin, but currently live in a state that cannot order it.
Oh no!
I saw someone yesterday with a hoodie that said on the back “see front for good news!” The front was something related to Jesus. No problem, but my first thought was “is it the Dacia Sandero?”
4th Gen Jimny. The new boxy one thats usually highlighter yellow.
And I’ll put my money where my mouth is, the 3rd gen just got 25 years old and legal to import, and mine is on a boat from Japan right now.
Good luck finding onr of those new,
Another 3-series station wagon to go with the last one I bought new.
An M340i wagon or an RS3 hatchback
^This^ a M340i or M3 long roof. I have no idea why they won’t sell these in limited quantities stateside… especially considering all of the crash testing and homologation is already done with the sedans.
Nissan e-NV200
A brown diesel wagon with an inline 6 & a manual transmission. Don’t know if they currently sell one in Europe, I just know we can’t get the nice things.
I want a new UAZ breadloaf https://www.uaz.ru/en/cars/classic
As do I, however short of Ukraine taking over all of Russia I doubt Russia will be admitted to the EU any time soon.
Yeah, and I don’t think they want to join, either, so its not like it could be slipped into the fine print of a ceasefire agreement
They tried to join NATO after the Soviet Union fell. NATO said no.
Frankly speaking if they had been allowed to join NATO they probably would have been allowed to join the EU not long after, and if the Russians still invaded Ukraine at approximately at the same time as they did in this timeline then Russia’s reliance on various other NATO member states for various armaments would have been the means to seriously restrict their fighting capabilities, not just supplying Ukraine.
Frankly Having mineral and oil rich Russia in NATO would give NATO quite the buff in strength, with or without the US.
But since Russia invaded Ukraine and the treaty they sign will almost certainly result in Ukraine giving up land, which according to current UN law would not be recognized as Russian territory, it’s obscenely unlikely Russia would be allowed to join the EU and or NATO even if Putin and every single one of his cronies were replaced by peace loving hippies.
Russia never applied to join NATO, and would not have met the membership criteria in the 1990s, even if they did (they had an on-going civil war throughout that period and countries with internal armed conflicts are ineligible). The Soviet Union did apply to join in the early 1950s, but that was considered more of a troll move by Stalin than a truly serious idea, similar to his voicing support for each US state gaining separate UN membership in exchange for each Soviet republic getting same, he often made impractical or unserious suggestions or demands just to stir the pot and see what happened
Gorbachev did make a suggestion to Bush in 1990 that the USSR could, perhaps, one day join NATO, but it wasn’t a serious application or statement of intent, more a friendly comment on how much relations had improved
UAZs are for sale in Europe even if not common.
Well Here’s to hoping then!
Since you already picked my #1 A110, then VW Polo GTI.
If the build quality of that bike is anything like when I was in the BSA, all the Gold Stars in the world won’t be enough to keep your Life.
WAGONS! ALL THE WAGONS!
Golf R Estate comes to mind first, but whenever I rent in Europe, I am amazed at the cars that I get that I would buy in a heartbeat. Rental that I have driven and would buy in a heartbeat:
Skoda RS estate 6 speed
BMW X1 2.0d 6 speed
Opel Astra estate 6 speed
Then I come back to the States and I get a choice of a Malibu or Altima.
My TourX can’t really be replaced should something happen. Every wagon left on sale here is vastly more expensive.