AutoGuide Answers: Foreign Cars We Wish We Could Buy

“I love wagons as much as the next AutoGuide.com staffer, but picking something like the Audi RS6 is far too easy – not to mention practical. Instead, the unattainable apple of my eye is the Holden Ute SS-V. Part pickup truck and part maniacal marvel of a modern sports car – that’s right, I said sports car – the Ute SS-V is the crazed cousin of the soon-to-be discontinued Chevrolet SS that was born out of anything but necessity. It sends the more than 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque generated by its 6.2-liter V8 to the rear wheels through a standard manual gearbox, and is sure to raise hell wherever it roams. Impractical, outrageous, fast and fun. What more could you ask for?”

“I would give a less loved limb (maybe a baby toe) to have an Alfa Romeo Mito. They make a topline sporty version with a six-speed manual in Europe that suits me perfectly, but the more interesting one is the Quadrifoglio Verde model that’s powered by a 1.4-liter engine with 168 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which is fantastic for a car this small. If I could get it with a manual, it would be perfect. I love tiny, sporty hatchbacks and this little three-door hits all the right notes for me. I can’t afford a 4C, but this front-engine, front-wheel-drive little bean can’t be that bad, right? I think of it like a more stylish Fiat 500 Abarth.”

“Choosing just one car or truck from the global vehicular smörgåsbord is tough, as there are so many thought-provoking options. However, rather than select a legitimately entertaining model, I’d rather just annoy my colleagues. Accordingly, I’ve decided to go with something unusual, a true WTF head-scratcher. I briefly considered a Russian Lada and Daihatsu Hijet, but ultimately declined since they’re simply too obvious. Instead, the deliciously obscure Arisun pickup won my affection. Manufactured by IKCO in the Islamic Republic of Iran, you can think of this car-like rig a Central-Asian version of Dan’s Holden Ute. It’s rear-wheel drive, features a five-speed manual transmission and is motivated by a 1.7-liter gasoline engine that can effortlessly whisk it to 100 km/h in just 12.7 seconds, which gives you plenty of time for shouting “DEATH TO AMERICA!” at passersby.”

“In Australia, the G-Class can be outfitted with whatever you fancy on the back end, which means that you’re a truck bed away from having a G-Class pickup. Sure, the starting price is $119,900 (about $90,000 USD) in Australia, but this special work version of the G-Class comes with a snorkel, bull bar, black-painted headlights and 16-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires. The interior offers no frills and good, old-fashioned water drain plugs for when you’ve finished driving through the two feet of water that the G-Class is rated to wade through. Also, it doesn’t hurt that there are three locking differentials to receive power from the 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine.”

“While my fellow colleagues are choosing some very unique cars, my foreign car of choice is the Honda Civic Type R. Yes, there’s a new one coming to the U.S. eventually, but I’m impatient! The current Civic Type R isn’t as aggressive in terms of styling as the upcoming model, but there’s a lot to love about it, especially if you grew up a Honda fanatic like me. It’s a real shame that none of the previous iterations ever made it to the U.S., and I surely wouldn’t mind getting my hands on the Black Edition Honda recently announced that bids the current model farewell. Of course, it would probably go straight to the body shop and get painted Championship White though – because really, every Type R should be Championship White.”