Good news for classic car fans in the U.S.! While new cars are now hit with a 25% tariff on imports, vintage cars are exempt from this new tax. This includes famous brands like Porsche, Jaguar, Bentley, and other luxury car manufacturers that don’t have production sites in the U.S.
The exemption is a huge relief for those who buy and sell collector cars, as these cars were at risk of becoming much more expensive. For example, a classic Lancia Delta Integrale could have jumped in price from $100,000 to $125,000 if it were taxed, while rare cars like the Ford RS200 could have seen a $150,000 price increase.
However, there's a catch: only cars that are 25 years or older are exempt. This means cars like the BMW M3 CSL and the Subaru Impreza RA-R, which are not yet 25 years old, will still be taxed at the 25% rate, making them more expensive to import.
This decision makes sense to some legal experts. If classic cars were taxed like new ones, the government would miss out on valuable tax revenue from car sales in the U.S. Some classic cars are worth millions, and without them being imported, the states would lose a lot of tax income.
As a result, U.S. classic car enthusiasts can breathe easier, but they’ll need to keep an eye on the age of any car they import to ensure it qualifies for the exemption.
