World Cup Wheels: 5 of Our Favorite Brazilian Cars

It's June 2014. Do you know what that means? It means soccer. It means lots and lots and lots of soccer for a full month. And this time around, that means lots and lots of Brazil, too (well, soccer kind of always means Brazil, but this year's World Cup is hosted in the South American country, as you probably already know.)

How are they related, you ask? Well, you see, you use your foot to make a car go and you use your foot to make a soccer ball go. Boom, knowledge. So, we're going to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about the strange beast that is Brazil's auto industry.

A combination of protectionism and sub-standard regulations has created a weird petri dish that ends up looking like an alternate reality version of the automotive realm. Safety isn't really a thing, but air-cooled VeeDubs were up until very, very recently. They've also seen super weird wagony Chevy SUVs (see: Suburban) and even some Karmann Ghia coachwork.

Many of Brazil's native cars are frighteningly built econoboxes (see: why this is a 5 list instead of a 10 list), but a few of them are nothing short of charming. Do the logical preparation for the World Cup this month by looking at 5 of the Best Brazilian Cars of the Past Decade.

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Produced: 1949-2013

The Kombi, Volkswagen's classic air-cooled bus went out of production in Brazil last year. Some lawmakers tried to pass an exemption to the rising safety standards that brought the bus' demise, but it didn't work.

That said, the VeeDub Bus is hands-down one of the greatest cars ever made, and we just love knowing that there are still some new ones with very low milage out there.

Produced: 1959–1986 and 1993–1996

"Fusca" translated from Brazilian Portugese, means "Beetle." Not literally, but it might as well. The Fusca lived long enough in Brazil to sit alongside the New Beetle in VW showrooms, which we think is all kinds of amusing.

Produced: 2009-present

Once upon a time in the jungles of Brazil, a Jeep Wrangler and an Isuzu VehiCross met, made passionate love, and parted. A Dartz might have been there filming and giving tips, as well. Nine months later the TAC Stark emerged.

In all seriousness, TAC's first production vehicle is a very cool little rugged off-roader, and we think it could even gain a cult following in the States, were it for sale here. It might be time to take a trip, gather a clan of Starks and the awesome new Ford T4 Troller and disturb some wildlife.

Produced: 2001-present

We wish that the vast majority of American truck buyers didn't judge truck primarily on size. The bigger, the better, in the minds of the average consumer. When we've talked to people from automakers about the dearth of small trucks we've just gotten a chorus of product planners telling us that they wish they could do a small truck, but that the market doesn't support it.

In an ideal world, Fiat could import this to the USA and make a bunch of handymen and carpenters who need a truck (but don't need a huge truck) very happy.

Produced: 2013

And then there's this thing. Just to prove to you that not ever car made in Brazil is an anachronistic chunk of weird, we present the AmoritzGT DoniRosset, a sexy-looking sports cars/supercar (depending on who you ask).

It originally appeared on everybody's radar back in 2010 when it introduced itself as the Amoritz GT DR7. It was penned by William Denis Rosset and was originally intended to be a one-off gift for William's pops, Donino Rosset. But people showed interest and then next thing he knew he had enough funding to make a small run of the smoothly sculpted car.

Under the bonnet is a Dodge Viper-sourced 8.4L V10 that has been heavily put on the juice. Add a couple turbos, and this car was hopped up to 1,007 horses. That goes along with a six-speed sequential transmission.

Only 50 of these are being made, and they'll each cost more than $1 million, but they do look spectacular. The best part is that it features a McLaren F1-style 1+2 seating arrangement.