Cars from Brazil

Cars from Brazil have long been a hidden treasure for Europe. But now that the world has shrunk, they're starting to appear on our shores too.

 

Lately I have seen several Brazilian cars at car rallies in the South of France. So many that I suspect organized imports - and quite rightly, a local firm brings Brazilian cars into France. There are air-cooled Volkswagens, Pumas and Willys Interlagos and more. The company has shown off the cars at car meets and they had a sales stall at "Roues Libres" in Perpignan. I thought that there must be a company closer to Norway that also takes in cars from Brazil. But no matter how much I looked, I couldn't find anyone. There are companies with headquarters in Brazil that sell and organize shipping to European cities, but it may feel somewhat uncertain considering that you may have to transfer a lot of money. One company that has actually delivered at least one car to Norway is Combi Brazil. They broker cars from different providers and take care of paperwork and shipping. You can also transport a car you have bought yourself in Brazil. On their website you will find a lot of delicious things.

Kombibrazil.com

Until then, I am posting a link to a company in France that does serious car imports from Brazil. Several of the cars in this post are cars that have been taken in via this company. They have Brazilian cars for sale from their own premises, but also offer the opportunity to take in specific cars under their control. I haven't asked myself, but it's not impossible that you can get a car transported to Drammen, or something like that, too?

Wheelbox 66 - import from Brazil

---

 

Volkswagen "Kombi"

 

 

 

 

T2 in overtime

Production of Volkswagen's legendary bus/van in the T2 series continued until 2013. From 2007, air-cooled engines were replaced by a more modern 1,4 liter engine. You can actually import an almost new T2 van with a distinctive black "pig nose" grill. The car in the main picture below is such a model. Incidentally, it is worth noting that the early T1 model was also produced overtime, and that the first cars in the T2 series only got a new front while the rear was still T1.

High price range

If you are going to have a fully restored T1 or T2 bus, the price is likely to be well over a million Norwegian kroner - no matter where in the world you are. Also in Brazil. In the pictures below, I have found two cars that are relatively reasonably priced at around NOK 200 (delivered in Brazil). Even with high prices, I think the "Kombi" represents the best buys for imports to Europe.

 

Volkswagen "Fusca"

Produced in 1996

Volkswagen's Beetle was produced until model year 1996. This means that they are still in use, although most of the cars offered for sale are restored or special original cars. A flat "bubble" can easily exceed NOK 200 in Brazil.

Not identical to European cars

Brazilian public cars have body shapes that seem more nostalgic than cars built in Europe. Volkswagen in Brazil has largely developed its models in parallel with Germany. Brazil has also created its own models. An imported people's car can therefore have other characteristics.

 

Volkswagen "SP2"

 

A special Volkswagen

It looks very cool, is based on a chassis from Karmann-Ghia and produced by Volkswagen in Brazil between 1972 and 1976. It is relatively rare and the prices are high considering that this is far from being a sports car. In Norway, there are two copies of this model in the vehicle register, and two cars are said to be undergoing restoration.

Were underpowered

The 1700 engine in the Volkswagen SP was not the same engine that the parent company used in its Type 4 series 411/412. It is, however, about a 1600 engine from Variant bored up to 1700 with double Solex carburetors. The performance of 75 hp did not match the car's exterior. In retrospect, many owners will have upgraded their engines.

 

Puma

 

 

 

 

 

GT cars from Brazil

Puma is a completely Brazilian car brand that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The concept is a fiberglass body on a tubular steel frame in a sporty Gran Turismo design. Chassis and drivetrains were taken from other Brazilian car models. The first was from DKW-based Vemag, then Volkswagen from Karmann-Ghia. The main image in this post is of a Puma GTB 4,1 which is based on the Brazilian-built Chevrolet Opala (Opel Rekord C) fitted with an inline six. The GTB is also built in fibreglass.

Volkswagen-based cars

For Europeans, the Volkswagen-based cars are probably of greatest interest. Several models used chassis from the Karmann-Ghia model and Volkswagen's air-cooled 1600 engine with twin carburettors and sports exhaust system. At Puma, these models were marketed as GT, GTE and GTS 1600. The concept was still beautiful, sporty fiberglass bodies. The cars are as simple as their donor cars, and therefore not too complicated to renovate. There are several nicely refurbished cars for sale that can be kept on the road for many years to come.

 

Willys Interlagos

 

 

Alpine A108

Alpine produced cars in several places in the world, including Brazil. As far as I know, only this one model, the A108, was produced under license by Willys in São Paulo named after the race track Interlagos. Like the A108, the powertrain was taken from Renault Dauphine – a rather modest engine that gave an acceleration from 0-100 in approximately 14 seconds. The descendant of the Alpine A108 was the Renault 8-based A110 which came as a 1963 model, but the production of the A108 continued until 1965. In Brazil, the model was produced until the 1968 model year.

High price range

Don't think that this little car made of fiberglass on a tubular steel frame with a tinny Renault drivetrain is being sold on the cheap. These are highly sought-after cars in our part of the world, since the A108 model was quite rare. I have been able to study a Willys Interlagos up close and can confirm that it maintains a high level of quality. It is also quite funny that a model like this was produced by a Jeep manufacturer. Did they produce other exotic models? No, the other model range from Willys in São Paulo consisted of only Jeeps in various variants.

 

Chevy Opala

 

Do you recognize this one?

The Opel Rekord C was given a new life in São Paulo, Brazil, under the name Chevrolet Opala. The model was offered as a 4-door sedan, 3-door station wagon and as these beautiful 2-door coupé variants without door pillars. Understandably, they reign highest on the price scale. Both cars are around NOK 400 delivered to Brazil. The beige Opala SS is built up with new improved parts, based on a 000 liter engine. The burgundy red car also has a 2,5 liter engine. Now you'd think it was about "our" nice 2,5-cylinder Commodore engine, but it's instead an old 6-cylinder Chevrolet Nova engine that was modified by GM in Brazil and followed the Opala model all its life until with 4. Opala was also delivered with 1992 liter inline sixes - also those with roots in the 4,1s. Both engines could be converted to run on ethanol.

How could it live until 1992?

The answer is countless facelifts. Opala was a very nice car for a long time, and kept the lines with the Cola shape throughout its life. But new front and rear parts as well as new interior made the whole thing tip over towards the tasteless. A nice sedan variant costs about half the price of the coupes shown here. I follow several Opala fans on Instagram and understand that this is a model that evokes good memories for Brazilians, in the same way that Rekord C does for well-grown Norwegians. The burgundy Opala Coupé 2,5 Special has Luxo interior with full bench, the beautiful dashboard of the Rekord C and 3-speed automatic on the steering wheel. This is a car you can cruise calmly through the city to the tunes of The "Girl From Ipanema".

---

 

 

See