How to import an Audi A2 to California?

Question

I would love to be able to import an Audi A2 diesel into California. It is such an efficient vehicle, I am surprised that we don't see some enterprising individuals importing them. If they pass EU emissions standards, they must pass here?

Any thoughts?
http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/audi_a2_tdi.php

Answer 1

I agree with you, the A2 is great, but....forget it.

Without exaggerating, the requirements to import a car like this are onerous, which is why the gray market has been dead in the U.S. since the 1980s.

Basically unless you are a foreign diplomat or you are a scientist bringing the car over for research purposes-- you will have to provide at least two of them to the federal government for crash testing. Assuming it passes, then you need to get the 1.2 TDI motor to pass U.S. emissions standards and get it EPA certified for the U.S. Then you will need to replace the glass in all the windows with DOT approved glass, replace the headlights and turnsignals and add 5-mph bumpers--- and because there is no model of A2 sold in the U.S. or anything like it, none of those parts exist.

You don't see people importing cars like this here because the federal government makes the laws deliberately draconian to help protect the American auto industry. It forces car makers to make seperate models for the U.S. market rather than just importing whatever they want, easily and it also kills gray market imports.

There are companies that handle this sort of thing, if you really want to look into it further, you need to find a "registered importer" if by some freak chance someone else has already gone through the nightmare of red tape to get this car certified for U.S. roads, then some of the obstacles will have been handled for you already.

Here is a list of registered importers:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/web_RI_list01122006.html

The only way around these laws is if you are a foreign diplomat living in the U.S. or you are doing research or the car you are importing is an older one, like a classic 20-25 years old.

Sorry...

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How to import an Audi A2 to California?
I would love to be able to import an Audi A2 diesel into California. It is such an efficient vehicle, I am surprised that we don't see some enterprising individuals importing them. If they pass EU emissions standards, they must pass here?

Any...

Answer 3

The A2 was never available with steel wheels - the alloy wheels where part of its light-weight aluminium alloy philosophy. The smaller 15" and 16" options were also alloy. Steel wheels may actually harm the ride, due to greater unsprung mass. Smaller alloy wheels may improve the ride due to greater tyre sidewall depth and reduced unsprung mass. However a stiff ride was always part of the A2, due to its light weight and its being an Audi from that era (when most Audi's had a poor ride on British roads). There is another advantage to the smaller wheels. They are less vulnerable to damage from potholes. The 18" RS4-style wheels of the A2 Sport were made of quite soft alloy, and tended to deform easily on bumps, made more likely by the limited protection given by the low-profile tyres. It is possible that your "bumpy" ride is actually caused by wheels that are no longer perfectly round.

Answer 4

One other problem you would have is that Europe runs on low sulfur fuel the US does not. One of the car mags did a MPG test a couple of years ago using a Polo diesel, a Honda Hybrid and the VW won hands down but they had to fly fuel in from Europe because the sulfur content was to high in the US.