NHTSA making it easier to import to USA!

["Dupree, Jim" <dupree@alldata.com>]

Interesting short in this weeks Autoweek. The US government put in to effect
(Aug. 13) and new rule on import vehicle to the US that does not meet US
safety standards. If the car is less than 25 years old an individual (not
and importer or dealer) can import for "Show or Display" without bring it up
to US safety standards. If it is sold  before it is 25 years old it has to
be sold to an individual and it can not be driven more than 2500 miles per
year. The car still has to meet emission standards. It requires prior
approval and the government can inspect the vehicle anytime they want.
The trick is that to get prior approval you must "persuade" the NHTSA that
the vehicle is of significant "Technical or Historical" value and it must
not be something the manufacture previously imported. The example they use
is you could not import an F50 but you could import a McLaren F1 or a
Porsche 959. None of this will help anyone import say a 1987 urq or a 97 S6
but it does open up possibilities. I guess the key will be how much
technology differences there needs to be  from a similar model that was
imported or if you can make a case for historical significance, i.e. owned
by ???? It is obvious that the rule is very subjective and up to the
discretion of those that must be "persuaded".