Actually Ford Brasil makes a model called the Ka. I
have seen this model in Europe but not the U.S. It is
a small but stylish 2 door which comes with either a
65 hp or 95 hp engine. The prices for a new Ka were
between R$18,000-R$22,000 which make it less than
US$10,000. This I think is the cheapest new car
available in Brasil.
A surprising number of Car Makers have production
facilities in Brasil. They include Citroen/Puegot,
Fiat, Ford,Honda, GM, Mercedes, Renault, Toyota, and
VW. They make a surprising variety of cars and mini
van like vehicles. Most of them are small by U.S.
standards. They are also cheaper than what you would
pay for similar sized versions in the U.S. The large
imported cars and SUVs are much more expensive than
the domestic ones and seem at least slightly more
expensive than their equivalent U.S. versions.
The latest prices for all of the Domestically made
cars and some of the imported ones can be found in one
of the weekend editions of O Globo.
Rental cars do seem expensive but this varies
depending on how busy the weekend is and what your
requirement for a car is. Calling ahead really helps
as the best cars and rates book up fast. I have
actually found better rates at Hertz and Avis than at
Localiza. The cost of the insurance adds 20-30% to
the car so if you could confidently reject that and
just use the insurance with your credit card or with
your home vehicle you would save. You also save money
by not returning a car to the airport.
Kevin
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