R.I.P. Cross Lander U.S.A.

Barring any waning seconds Hail Mary antics, the Cross Lander's chances for U.S. sales are over.

Just last month, company officials looked to finally be ready for American distribution, after cajoling the EPA into giving their Romanian-built body-on-frame bruiser a pass on U.S. airbag regulations on the grounds of economic hardship.

Well, apparently they weren't kidding about the last part, as the would-be discount truckmaker has apparently run out of funding. In fact, the situation is so dire that Romanian officials are now apparently looking to level fraud charges against the company's owner, John Perez, a Floridian who bought the Cross Lander factory in 2003.

Cross Lander's website is still active, but we wouldn't recommend making any downpayments.

[Source: Edmund's Inside Line]