Automakers make special edition vehicles for a variety of reasons. From celebrations to corporate partnerships, some can be really cool and unique. Most often, though, those special few-offs are just an extra bundle of badges and select paint colors that people willingly pay extra for.
Last week we asked readers what special edition cars really weren’t all that special. With years and years of automotive history to pull from, these were your painfully true answers.
I had a 1991 1/2 “Cayman edition” Escort GT. I loved it but as a “special” edition the only difference was the new Cayman green color, matching green on the wheels, green “GT” on the front carpet mats, and green instead of red piping on the seats.
I had no idea this Escort existed. Apparently, for the 1991 model year, Ford offered this “special” edition of the Escort GT. In addition to the standard Escort GT stuff, like its 1.8-liter 127-horsepower I4, this Escort GT was dressed in a special Cayman Green paint. It also received special wheels with Cayman Green accents, gray cloth seats with Cayman Green piping, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and floor mats with “GT” embroidered in Cayman Green.
Submitted by: Mayer N Jo via Facebook
Here’s an obscure one: how about the Scion xD “Release Series?” I have one, a 2009 in green (“Electric Wasabi”). It is a numbered series with a badge on the dash and—get this—lit up badges on the front door kick plates. I have no idea what else is included, and I believe they were offered from 2009-2012. My wife loves it.
The Scion Release Series’ was a yearly offering for every model of the defunct youth brand, from the xB to the FR-S. It got you... stuff. For instance, in 2009, the xD offered 1,000 models dressed in the special green Electric Wasabi color. Also included was a Pioneer audio/navigation head unit that could play videos from an iPod while the car was parked, as well as special interior lighting, illuminated door sills, special seats and badging and wheel covers. All of this cam in for the low, low price of $15,540 for the automatic, $14,650 with a manual.
Submitted by: Jeff Murdock
2005 Buick Century Special Edition! It had less features than the 2000 Custom which was the bottom trim. I bought the 2000 brand new and 6 years later bought the 2005 Special Edition. I had them side by side in the driveway. The Special Edition was pretty much stripped compared to the entry level Custom.
As 2005 was the last year for the Century, Buick decided to send it off with a bang. Sorta. Every 2005 Century model was given a special edition. What it really meant was just giving the car goodies like automatic climate control, anti-lock brakes, 16-inch aluminum wheels, a special chrome grille and tri-shield badge. Don’t forget that special rear badge that let everyone know it was the utmost highest trim in the Century range.
Submitted by: Wayne Spencer via Facebook
WJ Grand Cherokee Special Editions - especially 2002. Upgraded Laredo interior with leftover Body Color panels and wheels from the Limited.
You couldn’t even get Quadra Drive on it.
A mere three years before the Grand Cherokee would finally get a new generation (refresh), Chrysler decided to give the second-generation WJ Grand Cherokee its own special edition. Set between the Laredo and Limited trims, this edition let customers choose between the I6 or 4.7-liter V8, 10 different exterior colors, body-color cladding, special badging, fog lamps and a 10-disc CD changer. Rear-wheel drive models were stickered for $28,535; four-wheel drive would set you back $30,950.
Submitted by: Ryan Roller
Lexus partnered with Coach in the mid-1990s for a special run of limited edition Coach badged models. While you could get an ES Coach Edition, the one you wanted was the LS seen above.
Only 2,500 were made for the 1997 model year. For $56,833, there wasn’t much on the outside to indicate that you were indeed driving a Coach edition. Sure, there were special exterior colors, Coach leather seating with various Coach logos on the interior, and special exterior badging colored in whats described as Champagne Pearl. But typically, the only way someone might know, was if they had been in the car.
Submitted by: Eric Glenn via Facebook
The mustang Bullitt is kind of a weird one to me. So they just took a GT, painted green, and added some chrome accents? They could have made it more special than that. now granted, the original Bullitt mustang wasn’t really all that special either as a car outside of it being the Hero for a movie, but I think they should have used the GT350 and understate that model (remove some aggressive aero, etc) for the Bullitt instead.
Aside from Bullitt being a movie that wasn’t really good (we’ll all die on this hill), the Mustang Bullitt was just as underwhelming. It has been available on every Mustang since the New Edge generation, and was essentially a more expensive GT that just came in one color — though I think the most recent version was also available in black. For nearly $50,000 on the most recent version, you got an admittedly great green paint, special wheels with red Brembo brake calipers, special seats and badging and a white ball shifter.
Submitted by: darthspartan117
Harley Davidson trucks. WTF is so Harley about it? Does it have a chromed and exposed frame?
While Ford hasn’t offered the Harley-Davidson special edition in over a decade, it was fairly popular when it was around. The Harley edition was available on the F-150 and Super Duty models, with a lot of tacky add-ons like a billet-style chrome grille, big-ass Harley-Davidson badging on the sides and rear tailgate, 22-inch wheels with performance tires, horrible body side graphics that Ford said were “hot rod inspired” and even more Harley badging on the interior. Seriously, the seats were stamped with metal Harley badges while the center armrest had another that was a big as someone’s hand.
Submitted by: Jakob Holgersson via Facebook
AFAIK it’s only special paint job and no any engine upgrade, though most majority love this color but overall no difference other than special paint
I might be wrong though since some Nur and even 1 or 2 units of Z-Tune trim also has midnight purple color, but overall I was expecting engine upgrade just like Nur (RB26DETT N1), CRS (RB26DETT R2) or Z-Tune (RB28DETT Z2)
Again I know most love midnight purple color though so it might just me who’re boring guy.
Midnight Purple editions of the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R were special in that they came in that nice purple paint. Aside from the fact that just 282 examples were ever made, not much else about it is special. I mean yea it’s a GT-R but there were no other upgrades. It’s literally just a purple GT-R.
Submitted by: hayase
Chevy Venture Warner Brothers edition. That one always bothered me.
Chevy tried wooing families who weren’t really that interested in GM’s minivan offering, by nabbing a partnership with Warner Brothers for its Venture. Starting in 2000, buyers could choose the Warner Bros Edition, which included special Bugs Bunny adorned “WB” badging and a rear-seat entertainment system (which included VHS in 2000 and was eventually replaced by a DVD player in 2005).
Other random perks included discounts at Six Flags theme parks and Warner Brothers stores, a beverage cooler, special key chain, and membership into something called VentureTainment that gave owners free copies of Looney Tunes cartoons, other WB movies, and of course, pjs for the kids.
Submitted by: Dave Oliva via Facebook
Any “Special Edition” vehicle that is little more than a tie-in to a TV show, movie, or videogame, and to squeeze more money out of you from both.
While there have been some entertainment partnership doozies from automakers over the years, like Jeep’s Call of Duty editions and that random Hyundai Tucson The Walking Dead edition, the worst combo was probably Nissan Rogue’s Star Wars edition.
This special edition was timed with the release of Star Wars: Rogue One. Nissan truly enjoyed boasting the fact that the Rogue was the first production vehicle from any automaker made with Star Wars elements. Just — those elements weren’t much to brag about. Only 5,400 of the black or white Rogues were made. They came with big Rogue One badges, illuminated door sill plates, and depending on which color you choose — black or white — you got either Rebel Alliance badging or Empire badging in various places like the cupholders.
Submitted by: paradsecar
The ur-example. Pace car paintjobs.
Need I say more?
Submitted by: TadKosciuszko
The final 500 edition Oldsmobiles. They’re all maroon, and all have final 500 edition badges. Says less “These are the best we can make!” And more “we have waaay to much maroon paint left over”
Oldsmobile also decided to send the marque out with a whole slew of Final Edition cars. These select “Final 500" Olds were painted in Dark Cherry Metallic paint, with Final 500 badges everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. Hubcaps, fenders, dash, floor mats along with old school Oldsmobile badging on the leather seating. They wanted to make sure that history would never forget the name Oldsmobile.
Submitted by: DRG84
The Mercury Villager Nautica was certainly a strange offering. Mercury wanted to recreate what Ford had done with Eddie Bauer and the Explorer: Pair a family vehicle with a known fashionable clothing brand, cause that surely would equate to a smash hit. Choosing the Nautica edition got you a two-tone color scheme with a yellow stripe, leather seats with blue and white inserts and a complimentary set of Nautica luggage. It must have not been that much of a succes, as the trim was dropped when the next-gen Villager debuted in 1999.
Submitted by: EveryCarHasIssues