Importing a S4 Wagon to the U.S.

[A4Ultrasport]

Hi All - I'm wondering if anyone has looked into the possibility of importing a B8/B8.5 S4 or RS4 wagon into the U.S. (specifically California)? I know it would likely be a very expensive and time consuming process, since literally no one seems to do it. Has anyone ventured down this path? I'm curious if anyone has any information on roughly how much it would cost, and what would need to be done ...

[no thx]

u cawnt

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[JohnEnglish]

When it's 25 years old it'll be OK to do.

[tar]

Lold. Better off buying b8 a4 and s4 swapping it

[Willënskraft]

idk, but I'd imagine a lot of checks and approvals all while going through multiple agencies. Even then no guarantees.


...well except for this one

[onlyaudis]

forget about it, as it is not going to happen. even the 25 year rule doesn't really apply either here, as the cars that are newer than 1975 have to go through smog tests,. and imports just won't pass.

[A4Ultrasport]

I'm curious what specifically makes it so hard to import one in and get it certified here in the U.S.? It seems like the B8 sedan and wagon are both built on essentially the same platform, no? So if the U.S. has blessed the S4 sedan for the U.S., why is the wagon so hard to do retroactively? Furthermore, B8 A4 avants were sold in the U.S. for a couple of years, and continue to be on the All Road platform. I understand there might be minor differences in bumper construction/crash test standards for example, but I fail to see the logic in why these modifications couldn't be made ...

[tar]

I'm curious what specifically makes it so hard to import one in and get it certified here in the U.S.? It seems like the B8 sedan and wagon are both built on essentially the same platform, no? So if the U.S. has blessed the S4 sedan for the U.S., why is the wagon so hard to do retroactively? Furthermore, B8 A4 avants were sold in the U.S. for a couple of years, and continue to be on the All Road platform. I understand there might be minor differences in bumper construction/crash test standards for example, but I fail to see the logic in why these modifications couldn't be made ...

Search. Hint is alot of info on b5 rs4 importing.

[onlyaudis]

I'm curious what specifically makes it so hard to import one in and get it certified here in the U.S.? It seems like the B8 sedan and wagon are both built on essentially the same platform, no? So if the U.S. has blessed the S4 sedan for the U.S., why is the wagon so hard to do retroactively? Furthermore, B8 A4 avants were sold in the U.S. for a couple of years, and continue to be on the All Road platform. I understand there might be minor differences in bumper construction/crash test standards for example, but I fail to see the logic in why these modifications couldn't be made ...

It takes a lot of $$$$ to get a car certified for the US market. Audi has not done it for that car. If the new car is not certified, bringing it here for any reason except display or off road use just doesn't happen anymore.

[moyzes]

if its not possible, how come those B5 RS4s were brought to the USA and federalized? I heard there are 5 or 6.. The avus silver I believe is owned by the owner of QuattroWorld..

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...Y-4-IN-THE-USA

[JohnEnglish]

if its not possible, how come those B5 RS4s were brought to the USA and federalized? I heard there are 5 or 6.. The avus silver I believe is owned by the owner of QuattroWorld..

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...Y-4-IN-THE-USA

Anything is possible with enough money. Also there's a lot of questionable stuff surrounding that vehicle. Not the least is that the VIN has changed at least twice since it's been in the US. If you Google the latest VIN from when it was posted on bringatrailer.com it comes up as a dark grey RS4 Avant shell that was parted out at a junkyard in Sweden.

Here's an article that's a couple of years old that breaks down the process.

http://jalopnik.com/here-are-the-fou...uni-1682067632

I’ll give you an example to help illustrate my point. When I started this process more than six months ago, my initial plan was to import a late-2000s “E60” BMW M5 station wagon; the one with the huge V10 and that awful transmission; the one that felt like you were in the car with a 14-year-old whose only previous experience with a stick shift was driving a farm tractor through a hay field.

My thinking was this: although BMW never sold the M5 wagon in the U.S., they did sell the regular 5 Series wagon – and that means the M5 wagon’s body is “substantially similar” to a vehicle that’s already in compliance. Likewise, they never sold a wagon with that V10 – but they did sell a sedan with that engine, which makes the engine “substantially similar,” too. I figured I would merely need to find a car, change a few headlights, and I’d be on my way, cruising around America in a suave M5 wagon.

But here’s what I found out: although the V10 engine in the European-spec M5 is “substantially similar” the one in the American-spec model, the EPA can’t confirm that without conducting its tests. And although the body is substantially similar, the Department of Transportation doesn’t quite operate on the “See how similar it looks?” theory of government regulation. They, too, would need to run tests – crash tests, I mean – in order to prove that the car is in compliance with U.S. laws and regulations.

[JohnEnglish]

idk, but I'd imagine a lot of checks and approvals all while going through multiple agencies. Even then no guarantees.


...well except for this one

lol I remember when that happened and people were swearing up and down that the RS4 was coming to North America and some people even claimed to have put down deposits

[AudiS4SD]

idk, but I'd imagine a lot of checks and approvals all while going through multiple agencies. Even then no guarantees.


...well except for this one

What's the story on this? Why was it brought in the first place? To see if the demand existed?

[Schadenfreude]

if its not possible, how come those B5 RS4s were brought to the USA and federalized? I heard there are 5 or 6.. The avus silver I believe is owned by the owner of QuattroWorld..

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...Y-4-IN-THE-USA

Josh D (of QuattroWorld and AchTuning) did have an RS4 (or might still). IIRC he said he spent around $100k bringing his car to the US but I don't recall if that included the price of the car or not (shipping it here was less than $3k though). Pricey

[CONative]

What's the story on this? Why was it brought in the first place? To see if the demand existed?

I'm probably way off here but I recall reading that RS4 was Scott Keogh's. I know he drives at least one model that wasn't sold in the states.


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[JohnEnglish]

lol I remember when that happened and people were swearing up and down that the RS4 was coming to North America and some people even claimed to have put down deposits

It was a publicity thing.

I'm probably way off here but I recall reading that RS4 was Scott Keogh's. I know he drives at least one model that wasn't sold in the states.

He drove it but it wasn't his car. It was registered to Audi USA as a manufacturer vehicle and so it was exempt from import regulations.

[jygesq]

Clearly the plates show " manufacturer "

[tar]

Clearly the plates show " manufacturer "

This.

[Moto One]

That was a 2013 plate, and I would guess it was brought over to study by GM's Caddy div.

Mark.

[LINDW4LL]

Hi All - I'm wondering if anyone has looked into the possibility of importing a B8/B8.5 S4 or RS4 wagon into the U.S. (specifically California)? I know it would likely be a very expensive and time consuming process, since literally no one seems to do it. Has anyone ventured down this path? I'm curious if anyone has any information on roughly how much it would cost, and what would need to be done ...

My understanding is the process is very expensive.

The most economical way would be to buy an A4 avant and swap the S4 powertrain into it.

[plev72]

I think you can do it for 10-15k + shipping. That said, as someone suggested, you would likely be better off buying a a4 wagon and converting it.

[JohnEnglish]

That was a 2013 plate, and I would guess it was brought over to study by GM's Caddy div.

Mark.

Uh it was brought over by Audi USA and was showcased at a bunch of different Audi corporate events. There were a bunch of threads and posts about it in the forums.

[JohnEnglish]

I think you can do it for 10-15k + shipping. That said, as someone suggested, you would likely be better off buying a a4 wagon and converting it.

Its a lot more than that. You have to do crash testing and emissions test. Unless you can get a letter from the manufacturer saying it's substantially similar to a model produced here but most manufacturers don't want to do that.

[redline380]

forget about it, as it is not going to happen. even the 25 year rule doesn't really apply either here, as the cars that are newer than 1975 have to go through smog tests,. and imports just won't pass.

Quit saying things that aren't true.



There are a few ways to import a car that wasn't available here. I'm not going to outline them now. But considering the body and engine where both available here, that makes it much easier and possible without the 25 year or show and display exemption.



Essentially, you'd need to petition nhtsa to add the s4 avant to its list of non conforming vehicles eligible for import (hint: B5 rs4 is on the list already), if it hasn't already been done by someone else. You'd also need VW's assistance and willingness to provide info to nhtsa.



This would be a very time consuming and expensive process. But as stated, since the body and engine were already available here, there is no reason you couldn't get it done legally.

[onlyaudis]

Quit saying things that aren't true.



There are a few ways to import a car that wasn't available here. I'm not going to outline them now. But considering the body and engine where both available here, that makes it much easier and possible without the 25 year or show and display exemption.



Essentially, you'd need to petition nhtsa to add the s4 avant to its list of non conforming vehicles eligible for import (hint: B5 rs4 is on the list already), if it hasn't already been done by someone else. You'd also need VW's assistance and willingness to provide info to nhtsa.



This would be a very time consuming and expensive process. But as stated, since the body and engine were already available here, there is no reason you couldn't get it done legally.

But it is true for anyone with common sense. people always try to find a way around California's import restrictions, and I personally know people who played games and eventually got their cars confiscated .

[JohnEnglish]

Quit saying things that aren't true.



There are a few ways to import a car that wasn't available here. I'm not going to outline them now. But considering the body and engine where both available here, that makes it much easier and possible without the 25 year or show and display exemption.



Essentially, you'd need to petition nhtsa to add the s4 avant to its list of non conforming vehicles eligible for import (hint: B5 rs4 is on the list already), if it hasn't already been done by someone else. You'd also need VW's assistance and willingness to provide info to nhtsa.



This would be a very time consuming and expensive process. But as stated, since the body and engine were already available here, there is no reason you couldn't get it done legally.

Yeah, the big thing is getting VW's assistance. A Jalopnik writer tried importing an E60 M5 wagon with the same logic that the engine and body were both available here but just not in that combination. The EPA and DOT didn't agree and he would have had to run emissions tests and crash tests since BMW wouldn't provide him with a "substantially similar" letter.

http://jalopnik.com/here-are-the-fou...uni-1682067632

I’ll give you an example to help illustrate my point. When I started this process more than six months ago, my initial plan was to import a late-2000s “E60” BMW M5 station wagon; the one with the huge V10 and that awful transmission; the one that felt like you were in the car with a 14-year-old whose only previous experience with a stick shift was driving a farm tractor through a hay field.

My thinking was this: although BMW never sold the M5 wagon in the U.S., they did sell the regular 5 Series wagon – and that means the M5 wagon’s body is “substantially similar” to a vehicle that’s already in compliance. Likewise, they never sold a wagon with that V10 – but they did sell a sedan with that engine, which makes the engine “substantially similar,” too. I figured I would merely need to find a car, change a few headlights, and I’d be on my way, cruising around America in a suave M5 wagon.

But here’s what I found out: although the V10 engine in the European-spec M5 is “substantially similar” the one in the American-spec model, the EPA can’t confirm that without conducting its tests. And although the body is substantially similar, the Department of Transportation doesn’t quite operate on the “See how similar it looks?” theory of government regulation. They, too, would need to run tests – crash tests, I mean – in order to prove that the car is in compliance with U.S. laws and regulations.

[ENV²]

Buy an Allroad and motorswap.

That was a 2013 plate, and I would guess it was brought over to study by GM's Caddy div.

Mark.

LOL!