An interesting offshoot of the automotive world is the special edition. Often, these are cars or trucks that receive little more than special branding and maybe a slightly different options package, along with some sort of limited availability. Some special editions have stood the test of time, while others are footnotes on the automotive landscape. Struggling to think of an example? Let’s look at a few special editions Ford put out during the late 1990s and early 2000s, and you can classify them for yourself.
These finds come by way of Green Hawk Drive on YouTube, who pored over various archives to find some special editions that I not only had never heard of but wouldn’t have believed existed if there wasn’t some form of photographic proof. That points out one of the more intriguing aspects of special editions: Just about anybody can make one. Carmakers, dealers, owners, and the aftermarket all have the opportunity to make and market a special edition. The vast majority we see come from the car brands and their dealers, and that makes sense, as a special edition is an easy way to entice a person to look at a make or model they might not otherwise consider. You don’t have to sell the special edition, but having an interested party in the showroom has real value—just ask any salesperson.
The Larry Bird Ford Ranger
It makes sense for “the hick from French Lick” to drive a pickup, but seeing Larry Bird not only endorse but put his name and 33 jersey number on the fenders of a Ford Ranger in 1983 is something. It was a model unique to one dealer in Foxboro, Massachusetts, for whom Bird had previously starred in an ad, but the truck otherwise comes with no real explanation as to why it exists. From the clips of a television ad that Green Hawk Drive found, the truck started as a Ranger XLS that was then given a two-tone green and-white paint job with two “Ranger 33” decals and little else. Without pricing, it’s hard to say if this would be a bad buy, but at the time, “you could own this baby for $189 down and $189 a month.”
Young America Mercury Mystique
In a slightly confusing tie-in, Mercury hoped that the winds of the America’s Cup would help propel new 1995 Mystique models off dealer lots. The Young America was the youth-focused portion of the centuries old sailing race, so the special-edition Mystique got paint-matched grille and wheels, unique two-tone leather seats, and a manual transmission. Although Ford’s marketing of the Mystique tried to sell sophistication, the model just became an also-ran, but one with a pretty interesting special edition in its debut year.
Ford Taurus X Eddie Bauer Edition
The transition of American car buyers from wagons to SUVs and eventually to crossovers created more than a few models that look extra goofy in hindsight. Case in point is the Ford Taurus X Eddie Bauer of 2008–09. While Eddie Bauer branding had been incorporated into Ford models previously with the Bronco, Explorer, and Expedition in order to bolster the outdoorsy feel of the models, on the Taurus X the special edition was mainly contrasting paint on the exterior cladding, two-tone seats, and other small amenities. This special edition really ended up being a trim level enhancement that could be added to any Taurus X, from the base SEL to the Limited, and it thus sold more than 60,000 units. Where did those all go? Your guess is as good as mine.
Lincoln Aviator Kitty Hawk Edition
When you want to commemorate a special place or event, a product that is barely related to said occurrence is often the best way to do it. The Lincoln Aviator does have an aeronautical name, but other than that it was just an Expedition-based SUV. Why not try to dial up the flight stuff with a special edition? And if that’s the plan, might as well call back to Kitty Hawk, the location where the Wright brothers first took to the sky 100 years before. The “special” in this edition came by way of black paint, rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tip, black seats. and unique badging. Oooh.
Lincoln Town Car Cypress Edition
A factory special edition, the Lincoln Town Car Cypress Edition was limited to just 150 units. And while a tan-ish-colored Town Car is hardly going to jump out at many of us, a tan-ish Town Car that changes color as we drive past likely will. All the Cypress Edition Town Cars featured mystic paint that would change hue depending on how light reflected off of it, tricking our eyes into seeing multiple colors in one paint job. The interior also got two-tone seats, though the colors were less shifty inside.
The post What Were They Thinking with These Special Editions? appeared first on Hagerty Media.
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