Rare* left-hand drive cars to be legal by 2019

[MDS]

Press release from the Minister of Urban Infrastructure.

The gist of it is that the government will introduce a Road Vehicle Standards Bill before the end of the year, with the intention of it coming into effect by 2019.

The Bill, would potentially allow anyone to import, register, and drive a specialist and enthusiast vehicle if it meets any one of the six following criteria;

• Performance—a new graduated threshold formula measured from 110 kilowatts per Tonne (kW/T) in 1992, increasing by 1 kW/T each year after.
• Environmental Performance—an objective vehicle technology based on an alternate power source to internal combustion or a micro-car subcategory for low power (low emissions) vehicles.
• Mobility—originally manufactured or fitted from the factory with substantive specialist mobility features to assist people with disabilities.
• Rarity—total worldwide production of the vehicle 'Make' is less than 3000 units per year; or total worldwide production of the vehicle 'Model' is less than 1000 units per year; or total worldwide production of the vehicle 'Variant' is less than 100 vehicles per year. Left-hand drive vehicles imported under the rarity criterion will not require conversion to right-hand drive but will need state or territory agreement for use on their roads.
• Left-hand drive—originally manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle and not available as an originally manufactured right hand drive vehicle in another world market. These vehicles will require conversion to right hand drive for safety reasons.
• Campervans and Motorhomes—originally manufactured as a campervan or motorhome.

As such, vehicles like the 2009-2017 Dodge Viper, or the Ford GT would be able to meet the requirements and could remain left-hand drive in Australia.

[sms777]

You got to be fricking kidding....right? Wait for more abusing comments from me and fellow members........

[70SS]

Hate to say it Chris but MDS is dead right... the same has been publicised in various media outlets today, but several outlets are reporting that is has already been rubber-stamped...

[Bfit]

 Over the ditch in NZ they can import 500 LH Drive vehicles a year and their population is only 4 million. A 1000 vehicle a year here,  get real