- Vintage automobiles have avoided the impact of Trump's new import taxes.
- Cars older than 25 years avoid the 25 percent tariff on vehicles.
- The policy aligns with the current 25-year guideline for bringing in classic works.
Porsche, Jaguar , Bentley and other brands not having manufacturing facilities in the U.S. are also alarmed about Donald Trump’s new policies. 25 percent tariffs On auto imports. Thus, many smaller businesses dealing with vintage vehicles from these brands were also affected, yet they are now finding reasons to breathe easier.
More: Audi Halts All U.S. Vehicle Exports Due to Tariffs
This is due to the fact that although new cars are subjected to a 25 percent tariff, this regulation has led Audi and JLR to adjust their strategies. temporarily pause all deliveries In the U.S., collector vehicles sidestep these additional tariffs. This is excellent news for enthusiasts of vintage automobiles who live in the country as well as for specialized companies within and beyond its borders, which rely on robust demand from America for their livelihoods.
Tariffs Could’ve Stung Harder
If vintage cars had been subjected to the 25 percent tariff, their prices would have increased dramatically. For example, a car priced at $100,000 would have seen a significant rise. Lancia Delta Integrale might have turned into a $125,000 deal; meanwhile, an inflation boost of $150,000 could have affected a Ford RS200 (shown underneath), along with some of the most sought-after cars from the 1960s. Ferraris They might have seen their prices go up by more than a million dollars. However, these vehicles will still come into the country as they did before, facing just a 2.5% duty, so demand isn't expected to change.
Should imported vintage cars become liable for the 25 percent tariff, it could spell disaster for an industry sustained by the 43 million classic vehicles in the U.S., which collectively exceed a worth of over $1 trillion, as reported by Hagerty.
The 25-Year Rule Catch
However, there is a caveat: only vehicles that are at least 25 years old are eligible for this exemption. If the vehicle being imported is just under 25 years old—say, 24 years and 364 days—it will face the same 25% tariff as a brand-new car. This applies even to models such as those from BMW. E46-gen M3 CSL , which has barely turned 20 years old, along with the even newer Subaru Impreza RA-R, have become significantly pricier to bring in since the new tariff was implemented on April 2nd.
More: 12 Banned Vehicles You Can Now Import in 2025
However, because the 25-year tariff regulation aligns with current regulations specifying that only imported items over 25 years old and not meeting federal standards are exempted, safety And since emissions regulations can be legally applied to American roads, that shouldn't pose an issue.
The Reason for the Exemption
Excluding classics is logical, according to lawyers from Simon Gluck & Kane LLP, who stated this in a correspondence addressed to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as noted by Bloomberg If a 25 percent tariff led to cars becoming so costly that they were no longer imported into America, the government wouldn’t collect duties, and states would also forfeit tax revenues generated from the vehicle’s domestic sales. According to Bloomberg, this lost income could amount to around $700K for a luxury vintage car priced at $10 million.
We don’t know whether President Trump is a devoted enthusiast when it comes to vintage automobiles, but ultimately, everything boils down to finances, doesn’t it? If classic cars—which can be valued at several million dollars each—are subject to the same tariffs as brand-new models, the U.S. could stand to incur significant losses. Factor in this situation alongside Jay Leno’s visit to California Capitol last week To support a proposal that would exclude vehicles 35 years old or older from emissions testing, U.S. car enthusiasts now have an additional cause for celebration—aside from the classic beauties they already own, of course.
