The 25 Hottest Import Models Right Now

Import models are one of the truer expressions you'll find of what men want. They're not Victoria's Secret Angels. They're not (usually) porn stars. Acting is not required of them, nor is singing. Some dancing (or, rather, bouncing) is sometimes asked for, but it's not exactly ballet or the foxtrot. Most importantly, they need to look good in a bikini standing next to cars or auto parts, take sexy pictures, and have a warm smile that makes them seem accessible to the car nerds.

And for these very basic traits, this simple ability to embody what men want, import models are adored by their fans. At car shows, they are mobbed by dudes snapping away with their camera phones. That said, if Christine Mendoza and Jeri Lee aren't household names, maybe it's because you're just not living in the right household.

Here they are—the reigning queens, the challengers to the title, and the sexiest newcomers—the 25 hottest import models right now.

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Twitter: @ArikaSato

Arika, born in California of Japanese immigrant parents, has a master's degree in broadcast journalism from USC and appeared on Paris Hilton's My New BFF. She might very well be going places with this kind of screen cred (she's fluent in Japanese and has hosted TV shows for the Japanese-language market), but she's not so fancy that she can't still show up to please the crowd at car shows and expos.

Twitter: @misselapasion

She's just 22 years old, but Ela has a career's worth of experience under her belt already. She's sampled everything the modeling world has to offer a curvy 5'1" cutie. Car shows and car magazines? Done and done, and that includes Chinese Auto World magazine. MMA ring girl? Sure. Got conventions? Yup, the usual ones, plus HempCon, twice. File under "Other" the work she's done for Wedgebuster's PuzzleMania and SparkleWeed Hair Accessories. Everybody loves Ela.

Twitter: @_Yelinice

This stunning young thing from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, is currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina. We can't say just how often she makes it to the major import shows, but look at her. Just look at her.

Twitter: @RealMisaCampo

Here's one for our Canadian readers. Misa Campo was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Dutch/Filipina parents and is constantly dropping Canadianisms. Her recent Facebook posts describe her excitement about wearing her toque and her love of poutine and ketchup-flavored potato chips. And her posters and flyers are in English and French.

*eyeroll* Canada.

Twitter: @IhrtMichelleYee

Here's how Michelle Yee introduces herself to interested photographers: "My name is Michelle Yee and I am a professional model and I am amazing at what i do." And that's a good enough description. From her car show work to her ring girl work to her gogo-dancing-in-lingerie work to just plain maintaining a scorching Instagram feed, she does it all, and she is amazing at it.

Twitter: @MayaMichelleRew

Maya Michelle (with or without the "Rew") is an extremely well-traveled car show model and star of numerous magazine covers and features. She's also got a healthy career as a TV extra (How I Met Your Mother, It's Always Sunny, House) and hip-hop video dancer (for videos by Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Pit Bull, and others).

Twitter: @Its_AprilJoy

April Joy's modeling career kicked in just last year (although she is 28) and her popularity is in the process of skyrocketing. Twitter (200 tweets, 554 followers) is not her strong suit; you'll want to fan her on Facebook (54,000 fans since basically May) for the true Joy of April.

Twitter: N/A

It was Nick Lowe who asked "Where is the Harmony, sweet Harmony?" but little did he know that Harmony was to be found at a "Vietnamese-style" coffee shop called Cafe Lu in Santa Ana, California. And by "Vietnamese-style," they meant the servers are models who wear bikinis. Harmony can also be seen on the cover of the current issue of DSport magazine.

Twitter: @GenevieveChanel

Genevieve has beautified the NightShift, Formula Drift and Extreme Autofest shows, and was picked as one of Wheels & Heels' top models of 2011.

Twitter: @EricaOcampo

Erica had a very successful run as an import model, but has branched out into other areas with great success. How do these three words strike you?: MAXIM COVER GIRL. Impressive, no? How about these five words: MAXIM INDONESIA EDITION COVER GIRL. OK, slightly less impressive, but still, not bad. Not bad at all.

Twitter: @luvlonikai

Known for her dynamite figure and genetically-impossible blonde hair, Chinese-Cuban Loni (or Lana) Kai has made inroads as a ring girl as well, having won the BAMMA Ring Girl Search in 2011 and also a Twilight Fight Night Ring Girl Bikini Contest in 2011.

Twitter: @MsSandraWong

20-year-old Sandra is coming on strong in 2012, owning the titles of Ms. M FEST 2012 and Ms. Super Street 2012. Her biggest print gig is the cover of the upcoming January 2013 issue of Super Street.

Twitter: @Mari_Forest

Molly is the very definition of a hot newcomer. At 20, she hasn't done a lot of import modeling, but that's because she hasn't done (relatively speaking) a lot of anything. She's got agency representation and could go a long way. That said, the label "import model" may not stick for too much longer.

If you're reading this and you're a bit meh on cars, Molly may be the girl for you. She geeks out on PC and XBox games.

Twitter: N/A

Jeri Lee has been in the game longer than just about anyone (we're talking back into the early 2000s), and she is still killing it. Over the past couple of years, she's hosted "Pastease Parties," which from the photographic evidence are exactly as fun as you'd think.

Twitter: @TrinityDang

Northern-Cali-based Trinity is cursed with a name that will always tempt writers to comment on how "Dang" hot she is and speculate that Elvis' song "Dang Me" was probably about her. We will avoid both, and instead point you to a recent interview with TheDignifiedDevil.com in which she said that when it comes to her man she does whatever it takes to keep him happy. Dang.

Twitter: @MissMaureenChen

Super-sexy Maureen has been an MVP cover girl, appearing on the front of SuperStreet, Rukus, Dsport, and Import Tuner. Just search how many "Hottest Import Models of All Time" lists she's on. The girl is loved.

Twitter: @TanyaLove1

This San Diegan Latina has done Spocom, Extreme Auto Fest, DUB, SEMA, and the Lowrider Show, just to name a few. She's been on a Lowrider cover and appeared in Girls of Lowrider twice. You can find her in the current issue of Show magazine.

Twitter: @MelanieIglesias

Melanie Iglesias has become hugely Internet-famous for her YouTube flipbooks, which are completely sexy and only get better with repeated viewings. (Say, aren't we due for another one of these?)

Melanie's car show experience isn't extensive, but she did get the cover of Import Tuner magazine. They don't just give that to anyone with a driver's license.

Twitter: @MSASHLEYVEE

Ashley Vee is one busy babe—visit her modeling page and the credits don't stop. She's shook it at more than 100 go-go dancing gigs, beautified over 60 car shows, and hosted over 20 events. And she says she's a nursing student—we worry that she may end up having to treat herself for exhaustion.

Twitter: @RAICHELLEVIADO

This extremely talented beauty has been in the game for three years and stays busy all up and down the California coast. In 2010, she won the Xtreme Drift Circuit Car Show Model Search for Los Angeles.

Twitter: @YouLoveVivian

Florida-based Vivian makes herself available for events and shows but has already begun diversifying her career with print advertisements and catalog shoots. Be warned that this 32D future pharmacist may cause lightheadedness and dizziness. Alcohol may intensify this effect. Do not operate heavy machinery.

Twitter: @NikitaEsco

One of the most accomplished models working today, this French/Chinese treat has appeared on the cover of DSport and Freestyle magazines and is a fixture at Hot Import Nights car shows.

Twitter: @melyssagrace

Melyssa is a titan of the import model scene, having leveraged her huge popularity and go-getter spirit to go where most models don't: behind the wheel. She has taken up drift racing herself, which is enough to make most import-model fans' heads explode.

Twitter: @dannieriel

A typical import car show can have dozens of models, i.e. dozens of girls in bikinis showing off cars, strutting on stage, go-go dancing, you name it. But only one girl gets to be on the poster. Dannie gets to be on the poster—a lot. Our quasi-scientific survey says she gets to be on the poster more than any other girl in the bizness, and that's saying something. That's saying that promoters feel Dannie will maximize the attendance at their events.

That's saying Dannie Riel is money. And she is so money.

Twitter: @ChrstineMendoza

We have a hard time proclaiming anyone other than this Filipina the hottest import model of today. Or yesterday, or the day before that. Import modeling leaves plenty of exotic roadkill, girls who did a few shoes, gave it the old college try, but dropped out of the game. Christine is the ultimate in terms of longevity, and even after several years in the business, her face and figure still crush the girls coming out of high school. Her NSFW personal website is vast, her fans are passionate, and her skill at sideboob and handbra is fierce.