It wasn’t long ago that a trip to Los Angeles was travelling into the future when it came to the variety of vehicles available there that New Zealanders could only dream of owning.

There were Corvettes, Mustangs, and large pick-ups like the Silverado that were everyday drives for Americans but were only driven Downunder as private imports.

But due to many factors, that’s changed in the last few years with the expansion of right-hand-drive vehicles built in the USA (such as the Mustang) or converted in Australia (like the Silverado). That’s given us the option to own iconic American cars without having to leave home.

New Zealand also has had an ever-increasing number of car brands entering our market, not only the likes of USA brand Tesla making an impact but Chinese brands MG, BYD and Omoda for sale here.

Along with the GMSV and the arrival soon of Cadillac, Kiwis will be spoilt for choice of what American car they can drive.

But will they be spoilt for choice? Are there some American vehicles that we should have in New Zealand?

I’ve just returned from a trip to Southern California where I not only attended the launch of the McLaren Artura Spider but spent a lot of hours on the roads; from Beverly Hills, West Hollywood to the 405 highways and around Orange County.

I was constantly checking out the traffic to see if there was an unusual vehicle or an eye-catcher. And there were.

Let me introduce three vehicles I think we should have Downunder, and what the chances are of us getting them.

Ford Bronco

It's the rival to the Jeep Wrangler, and comes in two- and four-door varieties, featuring both an optional manual transmission and four-wheel drive. 

The sixth generation of the SUV was released in 2021 after a 25-year hiatus of the Bronco nameplate. And it’s been worth the wait.

In 2024, it has had a update including the 12.0-inch infotainment screen is now standard and the Bronco Badlands trim receives a heavy-duty bumper with its bevy of equipment.

Both the two- and four-door models cut an impressive look, combining a rugged appeal with futuristic aspects, especially thanks to the headlights.

It’s priced from  US$41,525 (NZ$67,900).

Chance of coming to NZ? 

Maybe. Ford says that it is produced exclusively in left-hand drive for overseas markets, but with production expansion to China could see the expansion too over to RHD.

Rivian R1S

Although I’ve been a fan of the R1T (the ute), seeing the SUV version on the roads in LA (either parked or being driven) I’m now a convert to it.

The oval headlights are head-turning, and the size is impressive as it’s about the same as the Tesla Cybertruck (I was lucky enough to see the two electric vehicles driving next to each other in Beverly Hills … of course). 

It’s a seven-seater and has a range of 450 kms, with zero to 100 km in 4.5s seconds and producing 392kW of power.

It’s priced from US$83,350 (NZ$136,400).  

Chance of coming to NZ? 

AutoMuse asked in 2021 if there were plans for RHD. They said no. We asked again last month. The answer: Sorry, Liz there are still no plans for RHD and stop bothering us. (Actually, they didn't say that, but again no RHD).

Lucid Pure

I spotted the Lucid Pure in the valet pick-up area at the aforementioned McLaren launch in the Hollywood Hills at night, but it wasn’t until I saw it in the daylight I appreciated the subtle look of the sleek sedan.

The Lucid Air is an electric four-door luxury car that was announced in December 2016 and the US brand began selling it in 2021. It was designed to compete with the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. 

It has impressive stats: a range of 820km, 0-100km/h in an eye-watering 1.89 seconds, and a stonking 908kW of power.

It is priced from US$69,900 (NZ$114,395) which is pretty well priced considering my Genesis G80 petrol sedan rental car was the same price.

Chance of coming to NZ? 

Lucid said later this decade they may move into RHD drive markets such as Australia and as we’re nearly in June 2024, ‘later this decade’ really isn’t that far away.