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 The cars in Brazil run on gasoline, diesel, alcohol or propane (gas). Alcohol is the cheapest but gives the least mileage. Most taxis use propane as it is the least expensive overall. All are commonly available with some stations having all four, so you have to be careful which pump you pull up by. Self-service is unheard of so the attendant will usually know what you need.
One of the first things I noticed about cars in Brazil (after the way they are driven) is that there are a LOT of VW microbuses and old-style Beetles here. While the favored vehicle of the 60's hippies has almost disappeared in the US, they are everywhere here. They were still being manufactured here until recently because many seem to be new or nearly new. Perhaps there is also an industry remanufacturing them. In any case, they are very popular and you see them everywhere. There are also many dune buggies, a result of the number of Beetles being trashed. In addition you see many VWs, Fiats, Renaults, and Peugeots. The latter two are not seen much in the USA now. In addition, are the numerous models of Chevrolet and Ford that have never been seen in the US. For example, a popular Chevy that is built in Brazil is called the Corsa and there is an older model called the Monza. Neither bears any resemblance to the 60's Corvairs of those names. Nor do they have the room, horsepower, styling, or handling of the Corvair. Instead, the Corsa resembles a slightly shrunken Honda Civic of the 1980's and the Monza, a Chevy II. In addition, there are many other models and body styles I never saw before. Some of the model names are familiar, such as Chevette, but Bel Air and Impala are not to be seen. I have seen a couple of MG TD's and one TF. I would certainly not drive a classic here! Porsches and other sports cars are pretty rare, too. I have never seen an Alfa Romeo here at all; even an old one. Most of these cars are built in Brazil and often exported to the rest of South America. In fact, VW has one of the largest automobile plants in the world near São Paulo. Fords are also very popular and there is one model, called the Ka that is very small, hardly larger than a Mini-Cooper with the wheels so far out at the corners, they are almost outside the body. There are no T-Birds, new or old. I do see the occasional pick-up, but full size ones are rare; probably because they would be like driving a tank on a go-cart track. You can see Toyota and Mitsubishi cars and trucks very similar to those in the US. In fact, a friend has a 4-door Toyota Hilux pickup with a diesel engine. I happened to learn that this particular one cost him about 75,000 reais or over US$ 33,000 given the exchange rate at the time. That's more than a decent house in most places outside of Rio. Something that is very prevalent here is the Mercedes A160. This is a Mercedes mini-van that goes new for about US$ 21,000. I suspect that this is really a restyled Chrysler brought out since the merger with a Mercedes badge. But then, where can you get a brand-new Mercedes for less than US$ 25,000? There are more varieties of VWs here than I knew they made. One of the largest is the Santana. The Golf is also popular as is a similar model made in Brazil called the Gol (Goal). Hondas are also plentiful with models very similar to the ones in the US but often with different names. I have seen a Honda mini-mini van. It looks like the Mercedes, but is even smaller, about the size of a 1980's Civic; cute and very practical for these streets. I suspect the Gol was named for the obsession here with futebol (soccer). There is also a totally Brazilian car or two. One is called the Gurgel, which I suspect means gargoyle because it is so ugly, it's cute. They look a little like a ¾ scale 1953 Willys Jeep but they seem to be well-made and reliable. There is also a sports car called the Panther. It is rather swoopy looking in a 60's sort of way, but I hear that parts and service are not easy to get. Driving in Brazil The first question most people ask is what about a driver's license. As long as you have a passport and a valid driver's license from somewhere, even Florida, you're OK. If you are planning on an extended stay, you would be wise to get a certified copy of your license in Portuguese and also a certified copy of the relevant pages of your passport. Those would be the main page with your picture and the page with your Brazilian Visa. Carry these instead of the originals and you will be fine wherever you go except for boarding airplanes. There are places (Detran) that are licensed to do these copies and translations for a reasonable fee. This is always cheaper and easier than replacing originals that are lost or stolen. I was given this very good advice by the Polícia Federal after a stolen passport incident. Muito obrigado. Driving in places like Rio or São Paulo is not recommended for anyone that has not learned to drive in say, Rome or Mexico City. The traffic is intense, parking is non-existent, and the rules are well, there are no rules. Take taxis instead or even the buses. They are inexpensive, clean and efficient. One thing to remember about the taxis - no tipping! Rio and São Paulo also have very clean, quiet and efficient subway systems. New York, Chicago and DC should take lessons from them. An added plus is that these are free for people over 65, including tourists. In Rio, I was once going to the American Express office, about three miles from where I lived, and drove around for 20 minutes without finding a parking place. I eventually went home and came back later in a taxi. Driving anywhere in Brazil will be an adventure. Remember, there are no rules. Lane markings are, at best, only suggestions and will not be taken seriously. At stops, do not be surprised if someone in the right lane decides to turn left in front of you. This is considered normal as is turning right from the left lane, too. If you express any irritation or surprise, you will normally get the universal Brazilian OK sign, a "thumbs-up". Do not give the American sign of a circled thumb and forefinger as that means something quite different in Brazil. You will often here a quick "beep-beep" on a car horn. This is not a sign of anything but, "I am here and not likely to yield." It's considered a polite way of alerting you to their intentions. About those speed limits. They are everywhere but no one pays any attention to them but drives as fast as they dare. Speed control depends upon different factors. First of all, most of the roads are far below American or European standards and simply will not support the speeds you may be accustomed to driving. The second is speed bumps or lombadas. These can be anywhere and are not always marked with a sign. The third way is photo radar. These are permanent installations in the form of a square structure over the roadway with flashing lights and numbers indicating your speed. There is often a lombada before them so being caught by one requires inattention, nerve, and determination. I have never heard of anyone being stopped by a police car for speeding. But if you are signaled to stop by an officer either at a permanent check point or at random, it is a good idea to do so. They can and will shoot because the assumption is you must be a criminal, probably a traficante (drug dealer) if you don't stop. They do not shoot to miss, either. Maps and road signs as you may be used to them do not exist in Brazil. Because most people never drive long distances, there is no need. On a three-day trip from Rio to João Pessoa on BR 101, a main north-south highway, I saw three signs marking it as such. It's possible I missed one or two, but there are not many road signs. If you are driving locally, you don't need them. The roads are almost all two-lane and often narrow, badly paved two-lane. I doubt if there are a thousand miles of four lane road in Brazil and all of that near large cities. For example, Rio and São Paulo are the two largest cities and only about 300 miles apart but there is no four-lane road between them despite the constant truck traffic carrying goods back and forth. Maintenance of these roads is often not good, even in cities. If you see a palm frond sticking up in the street, do not try to play lawn mower with it. This is how locals mark holes large enough to absorb many cars. If you try to drive over it, your car could become part of the repair project. This contribution will be greatly appreciated by the locals, if not by you. Overall, driving away from the larger cities is relatively easy but you will not make the same average speeds as you will in the USA. Frequent small towns, rough roads, and slower traffic will cut your average to around 50 mph or less. Remember that Brazil is entirely on the metric system so, if you think the distances are miles instead of kilometers, you'll think you are doing very well. You're not, but you'll feel better about it. Jim Smith is an American living in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. He has been many things, a machine tool repairman, IBM repairman, technical writer, martial arts instructor, sailing instructor, trainer for computers, telephones, and software. He has lived in nine different states in the States, Canada, Holland, and now Brazil. In addition, he has traveled around the world delivering sailboats. He has written for several American magazines such as Sail, Cruising World, American Survival Guide. He can be contacted at
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