The Definition of Car Culture & Everything I Discovered in Brazil | Capturing Car Culture

TL;DR

São Paulo's car culture thrives despite high import taxes and crime, with armored daily drivers, 2,000hp Chevy Opalas, and 5,000-person midnight drift events.

Key Points

• 1.- Armored cars are standard in São Paulo; Ricardo's BMW X3M Competition is Level 3A+ armor, stopping 9mm, .40 cal, and single 5.56 rifle rounds, costing $30–50K to install
• 2.- The Chevy Opala, built in Brazil from 1969–1992 with a 4.1L inline-6, is called 'the Brazilian Supra' — stock at 170hp but capable of over 2,000hp with big turbos
• 3.- Import taxes on cars range from 50–100% depending on make/model, and vehicles must be 30 years old before legal import, making foreign parts extremely expensive
• 4.- Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside Japan, fueling a massive JDM culture including Shibuya Garage, a motorcycle shop with Japanese/Americana themed décor
• 5.- Rodrigo Nova, the only Liberty Walk M4 owner in Brazil, drifts his car using hand controls after being shot twice during an unarmored carjacking 13 years ago
• 6.- Underground SP is a weekly midnight drift event at which over 5,000 spectators watched amateur drifters, rev battles, fireworks, and costumed characters including 'Luis Hamilton' and 'Ayrton Senna'
• 7.- Diaz Racing specializes in Opala tuning; a carbureted stock setup makes 130hp, triple Weber carbs on ethanol hit 300hp, with nitrous reaching 450–460hp before turbo builds
• 8.- The Copa Truck Series (formerly Formula Truck) big rig race was held at Interlagos for the season finale — the crew gained trackside access to shoot the race
• 9.- Auto Concept Brazil show was held lakeside outside São Paulo; cars were driven onto a beach for photos, and a wild capybara appeared; the host chose a Fiat Uno as pick of show