Cuba’s Classic Car Culture
If you are like me, and obsessed with all things cars, you might already know that Cuba is a literal rolling vintage car museum. Shockingly, I never made that connection until recently, when a fellow co-worker informed me that I should write a segment about this classic car metropolis.
It never really occurred to me, but after I thought about it, every cultural image of Cuba I can recall includes old cars as a vivid focal point of Cuba’s dusty stuck-in-a-time warp image. The classic car is as much of a Cuban icon as cigars, but how and why does Cuba have so many old cars?
Cuba has a certain air surrounding that is an odd mixture of excitement, color, and mystery. There is a vitality of life within Cuban culture that is evident even to those who have never been to the country. If you’re a classic car buff, Cuba is just about the greatest place on the planet. It’s like one big car show, where autos from the 1940s and 1950s motor along the streets and highways.
These vintage classics range from Oldsmobiles to Chevys and Plymouths to Fords — but better. Because these vehicles aren’t shiny and new-looking. Instead, they have the beat-up look of a book that has been read over and over again, showing that not only are these vehicles loved, but they are actually used in day-to-day life.
Cuba is one of the few countries in the world where most private automobiles are older than their owners. So, let us explore the history of Cuba’s vintage car industry and why the old cars in Cuba are so vital to the Cuban culture.
Cubans’ love of vintage cars is ingrained in their culture and makes up a vital part of their tourism industry. The story of classic cars in Cuba is full of political and historical significance. While Cuba might not have a lot of things in common with its US neighbor, but in the six decades since the two nations cut economic ties, vintage American cars have – ironically – become one of the country’s most recognizable symbols. Due to a 60-year-long US trade embargo, you’ll struggle to find any American cars under the age of 60 in cities such as Havana or Santiago de Cuba.
This makes Cuban classic cars a beautiful addition to the urban landscape of Cuba and an important cultural artifact. Cuba has never had a car manufacturing industry, so they relied solely on automotive imports to populate the island’s roads. American cars were imported into Cuba for about 50 years, beginning near the early 20th century. By 1956, there were more than 140,000 cars in Cuba with approximately 90,000 on the streets of Havana.
The 1959 Cuban Revolution and Import Embargo
The 1959 Cuban Revolution and the beginning of the Cold War saw a change in the island’s automotive industry. The US embargo was erected and Castro banned the importation of American cars and mechanical parts. The only buyer in the country was the government, which for decades purchased its new fleets primarily from the Soviet Union, distributing them as a reward to select workers.
Starved of access to spare American parts and unable to afford modern replacements from Japan or Europe, the Cubans have been forced to adapt and be creative. Many of their geriatric cars have been reconfigured and hybridized. That these cars are still functioning is a testament to the ingenuity of their owners.
Vehicles obtained before the revolution, then, are precious commodities, and car repair and restoration have become a cottage industry. Cubans have found ingenious ways to work around a shortage of parts and materials and to keep their old classic cars on the streets. It’s not uncommon to find a beautiful 1950s Chevy with a Russian engine—something that would be considered sacrilege to serious car collectors.
Revival of the Fittest
Of the cars imported since 1959, Russian-made Ladas are the most common. You’ll see these small, boxy cars everywhere you go. More recently, Chinese Geelys, Citroëns, and Nissans have entered the scene. The Geelys are a popular rental car, and you’ll see tourists driving them around most of Cuba. The cars look and drive fine, but they are somewhat unreliable and not very durable.
The government tightly controls the new car market and charges very high prices, for example, a 2022 Volkswagen Golf might cost $43,000, while in Cuba that same car might sell for $250,000. Needless to say, this is completely unaffordable for most Cubans, who earn about $20 per month.
As you drive around Cuba, you’ll see men hunched over cars, repairing engines and fixing exhaust systems. These days, there are around 60,000 classic American cars in Cuba. Experts estimate that about half of these cars hail from the 1950s, while 25 percent are from the 1940s and another 25 percent are from the 1930s. The cars are often family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation.
In some cases, Cubans have even had to create materials from scratch to keep their car alive. Russian cars – usually Ladas and Volgas – are dissected into their useful parts, and hood ornaments are sometimes handmade from scrap metal. Cuban mechanics are truly the wizards and MacGyver’s of the automotive world.
Old Ford engines have been removed and replaced with diesel engines to save money on fuel. And interior fabrics have been recreated or substituted by meticulous upholsterers, many of them working on vintage sewing machines.
Tourism Heaven
Since the relaxation of business restrictions in 2011, some private tour providers have jumped on the vintage car bandwagon. Gran Car is a state-run taxi company that uses renovated American autos to ferry tourists around Cuba’s larger cities. Although they charge higher fares than regular taxis, the vintage vehicles are kept in super-slick condition, boldly reflecting the lost grandeur of the 1950s.
This means you can’t visit Cuba’s capital, Havana, without taking a tour in one of the many vividly-colored vintage cars that line the streets. Tourists rush to book rides in classic ‘57 Chevy Bel Air convertibles that cruise slowly through the streets of Havana Vieja and Varadero.
Vintage cars in Cuba play an essential role in supporting the local economy and offer a unique way to explore the magical island. They also provide an informative and safe way to travel around Cuba and see the sights. If you are planning a trip to Cuba, book a trip in one of Cuba’s authentic classic cars because you are guaranteed an unforgettable experience.
The classic American car is a Cuban icon and a relic of the country’s lavish, capitalist past. Vintage cars are ingrained in Cuban culture and need to remain preserved. They make up a vital part of their tourism industry, which is another reason why you will still see plenty of old cars in Cuba for years to come.