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When Is a “Special Edition” Not That Special to Buyers?
“Special Edition,” “Collector Edition,” “Limited Edition,” even “Wolfsburg Edition.” For decades, we’ve seen such trim packages slapped and stickered on the cars we love.
Cynics would call these pure marketing ploys on the part of the automakers, and they aren’t entirely wrong. But once cars become collectible classics, sometimes a special edition can mean serious market value. For example, a 2006 Ford GT “Heritage Edition” is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars more than the equivalent base model.
There are plenty of instances, however, where bright decals and “special edition” badging make little difference in transaction price—often under 10 percent. Here are six so-called special editions of famous classics that make the market shrug its shoulders.
1972-76 Lincoln Continental Mk IV (Designer Series)
Lincoln introduced its monstrous Continental Mk IV in 1972, and tricked it out in an almost dizzying number of special editions during its relatively short run. All of them were purely cosmetic, and oh-so-seventies. There were the “Gold Luxury” (1974), “Blue Diamond Edition” (1975) and “Lipstick and White Edition” (1975), but in 1976 came the “Designer Series,” with styling cues and special color combinations credited to notable fashion designers. These included the “Bill Blass Edition,” “Cartier Edition,” “Givenchy Edition,” and the “Pucci Edition.”
Any Continental Mk IV offers 19 feet of ’70s kitch and the special versions are particularly sharp, but they don’t mean much in the market. The cheapest condition #2 (“excellent”) value for a base model in our price guide is $20,000, while the most expensive special edition is $22,600, and most versions are within a few hundred dollars of each other. Lincoln continued offering the Designer Series trims on the 1977-79 Continental Mk V, and those fancy names carry a slightly higher premium there.
1978 Chevrolet Corvette (Silver Anniversary)
By 1978, the C3 (1968-82) Corvette was entering its senior years and GM did what it could to keep America’s sports car relevant. At the height of the malaise era, that meant flashy paint and decals.
Two new packages joined the lineup for ’78. There was the “Pace Car,” a replica of the black-and-silver ‘Vette that paced the Indy 500 that year. And since 1978 also happened to be the Corvette’s 25th birthday, there was also a “Silver Anniversary” model with two-tone silver and gray paint, aluminum wheels, and sport mirrors. Both models wound up being big sellers, with over 6500 Pace Cars and over 15,000 Silver Anniversary versions. They aren’t exactly rare, then, but while the Pace Car does carry a hefty premium over a ’78 base Corvette, the Silver Anniversary doesn’t. A base ’78 with the 350 cubic-inch L82 engine carries a #2 value of $27,900. A Pace Car with the same engine is worth a much higher $42,100, but the Silver Anniversary is just $29,500.
1976-86 Jeep CJ-7 (Levi’s Edition)
The CJ-7 could clearly trace its roots back to the military Jeeps of old, but the “C” does stand for “Civilian”, so it was offered in various trim packages and special versions to lure adventure-loving buyers into showrooms. One of them was the Levi’s Edition, and ticking that box got you special badging and Levi’s-branded upholstery that looks like denim but, for the sake of fire safety, is actually a nylon material.
The Levi’s look was a popular one that started in AMC’s cars and eventually spread throughout the Jeep lineup. It can add as much as 20 percent to the value of something like a Gremlin, but on a CJ-7 it’s less pronounced. On a ’77 V-8 model, for example, a base trim carries a #2 value of $34,400, while a Levi’s Edition is worth $37,200. Meanwhile, a “Golden Eagle” model with the same engine and in the same condition is worth a much heftier $50,400.
1979 Ford F-Series (Indy 500 Edition)
In 1979, Scottish F1 champ Jackie Stewart drove a new Fox-body Mustang to pace that year’s Indy 500, and Ford seized on the marketing opportunity, selling nearly 10,500 pace car replica Mustangs with two-tone pewter and black paint plus orange graphics. Ford offered a similar pace car graphics package on that year’s F-Series pickups and sold nearly 6000 of those, too.
Sixth generation (1972-79) F-Series in general have gotten rather pricey, with the median condition #2 value more than tripling over the last seven years. The big price differentiators on these trucks are body style and engine, while the Indy decals don’t do much. The median #2 value for a ’79 F-Series (F-100, F-150, F-250, F350) is $45,300, and for the Indy 500 Edition it’s $48,400. A ’79 Mustang Indy Pace Car, meanwhile, is worth two-and-a-half times as much as the equivalent base model.
1983 Ford Thunderbird (Heritage Edition)
For any carmaker that’s been around a couple of decades or won a major race here and there, “heritage” is a word that appears over and over in marketing copy. Ford, though, has stamped it quite a bit on its actual vehicles, with “Heritage Edition” versions of everything from old T-Birds to newer GTs and Broncos.
On the Thunderbird, Ford first marketed a Heritage model in 1979, and a Heritage model was still part of the lineup for 1983, the first year of the ninth-generation T-Bird. The ’83 Heritage Edition included chromed mirrors and available wire wheel covers, and standard velour bucket seats. These touches surely helped it stand out in the showroom, but 42 years later and the market doesn’t care much. The current #2 value for a base ’83 Thunderbird coupe is $10,100, and a Heritage Edition is actually worth less at $9800.
2002 Chevrolet Camaro SS (35th Anniversary)
After 2002, GM killed the Camaro temporarily (and the Firebird permanently), but gave the Chevy a sendoff in the form of a “35th Anniversary Edition” model on SS-equipped cars. All were Bright Red with black and gray leather seats that had embroidered headrests. Each 35th Anniversary car also got a glovebox case with inscribed tire pressure gauge, depth gauge, pen, history booklet, and polish cloth. A total of 3369 buyers paid $2500 for the option.
That $2500 isn’t reflected in what people are paying today, though. For a standard SS, #2 values are currently $28,000 (coupe) and $30,900 (convertible), while for a 35th Anniversary Edition they’re not much different at $30,400 (coupe) and $31,000 (convertible).
Limited Editions is a balance of supply and demand.
Usually real limited models can be a car with 1200 or less examples with a decent sized demand greater than that number. Cars of this number are not often seen and are rare,
Now you can have a car like the 1978 pace car made in greater numbers but demand is still there for the number available for trade in good condition that may add value.
I had a GMC Sprint SP 1972. A big block El Camino in GMC form. Only a few hundred were made. No value really over the Chevy as there were so few many don’t remember them.
Agreed!
I never liked the idea of having a car with ‘Limited’ on it. Limited never stuck a chord within me of being special because only a limited number of them were made. To me it would advertise that my car is limited in regards to performance, quality, etc.
You mean the Ford LTD isn’t “limited”?
It’s limited only by your imagination! 🙂
😂👏👏👏
As Seinfeld said, “Limited to as many as can be built”……….
I don’t think the Levis trim was a “limited” edition.
It was just a trim package, and it was available on the Gremlins (and perhaps other AMC products) as well as the CJ-5.
As the headline mentions, they called it the “Levis Edition”, but there was no mention of it being a limited.
I restored a Levis ’77 Jeep in 1998. That was before Jeep parts houses sold the decals. I went to a commercial sign company and expected to pay a fortune for a custom set. It turns out the design was already available in their trademarks graphics package. I got two decals for four bucks.
The blue top was more difficult. I think I got the last blue top from Best Tops.
Loved that Jeep..a Renegade (without out tailgate) and 304 V-8, there speed. I left the gauge Renegade decal off when I repainted it. Put it on before I sold it seven years later.
When they badge a whole years product as a special edition, it seems less special when there are tens of thousands of them around.
You mean my Special Edition Dodge Aries wasn’t so special after all? Awww… I figured if it had to have Special Edition badges everywhere, it wasn’t so!
A perfect example of this is the “Last Call” editions of the 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger. The local Dodge house still has some of these sitting new on their lot.
And they’re still holding out for sticker plus.
A fool and his money…
Has anyone calculated the coefficient of friction when sliding into a Levis Edition Jeep while wearing brand new Levis?
Imagine the friction generated between a coarse pair of corduroy pants and a malaise era velour/corduroy driver seat! Hot pants indeed.
Not sure if you’re making a funny, but at the time AMC was installing this interior, I read an article stating the material was not genuine Levi’s cotton denim. It had to be flame retardant. That, and the cotton denim would wear out much faster.
About 8 years ago I sold my 1988 Corvette 35th anniversary (you remember, white everything).
It had 38,000 original miles. From what I recall the 35th was the only Corvette special edition with a numbered plaque. They made 2,050 anniversary models. It needed some “light refurbishment” and I was happy to get 5 grand for it back then. Not to be confused with Craig Jackson’s that sold at Scottsdale for $530,000.
1996 Corvette Grand Sport only 1000 made, all Admiral Blue with white racing stripes and fender hash marks. # plates. Special motors, etc
We owned an Oldsmobile Aurora final 500 edition that meant nothing in the long run. Really a great car with seats that you could sit in for 7 hours when driving from Tucson to Los Angeles at 70 to 80 mph and still get nearly 30 mpg from that dual overhead cam V8. Traded it in on a Lexus when it hit 200,000 miles.
I was the proud owner of a 1983 Thunderbird Heritage Edition. Silver beauty with red velour interior. V6 with O/D. That was until the transmission started leaking copious amounts of fluid AND the cloth headliner fell on my head while I was driving. All about 70K miles. Traded it for an Accord and never looked back.
I currently own a 1969 Pontiac Firebird 350HO Convertible. Supposedly only 112 were made, however, it doesn’t seem to attract any premium above a standard 69 Firebird???
All the comments re: Limited / Special Editions are disheartening. I was hoping my one-owner Hemi-orange 2009 Challenger SRT8 Limited Edition would become collectible at some future date. Hopefully having ~ 30k miles, being a garage queen and Stellantis confirming it is one of 393 identical cars will make a positive difference. I guess time will tell since I don’t intend to sell it anytime soon. Love that hemi roar.
I always had a soft spot for those Continental mark IVs. One of America’s swankiest cars ever IMHO.
One of our “important” neighbors had one, with a car phone! The radio-type where the operator placed your call, for about a buck a minute. Totally cool, personal luxury!
Jawn! And the 1972-76 Lincoln Continental Mk IV – now there is the definition of a “land yacht”.
or in the northeast, a “tuna boat.”
How many Miata special editions were made? I know it was a lot, but I’d love to have one of every model! Especially the new 35th anniversary edition! Until then I’ll just keep my first year regular model with only 68k miles on it!
Starting in 1991 Mazda introduced the first “Special Edition” with British Racing Green paint. Included was a Nardi wood shifter & handbrake, stainless sills, AC, CD stereo, Cruise control, and headrest speakers. A hard top was an option. The interior was tan leather and it came with a tan tonneau cover. 3997 Units were built.
In 1992 1519 the Sundance Yellow “Limited production” Yellow Miata model was produced.
In 1992 they also produced 4625 “Black and Tan” models with Nardi and BBS 14″ wheels.
The ’93 Limited Edition was Black with a Brilliant Red interior, BBS wheels, sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, a rear skirt and Air Conditioning.
1994 produced 3000 M-Edition (Special Edition) Miatas in Montego Blue Mica with Tan Leather interior, Nardi shift knob & park brake, AC, Torsen limited slip differential.
In ’94 341 Laguna Blue Miatas were built w/o Nardi knobs. 122 were built in 1995
The 1995 3,500 M-Editions were built with Merlot Metallic paint with new tan seats. It had Nardi, LSD, and lightweight 15 inch BBS wheels.
In 1996 Mazda produced 3000 Starlight Blue Mica M-Editions with every option, even an alarm. Instead of BBS wheels it had 15 inch Enkeis
1997 brought the last M-Edition (3000)in Marina Green with tan Leather
’97 also introduced 1500 STO (Special Touring Option) in Twilight Blue Mica/tan leather
’98 didn’t technically have a Special Edition
In 1999 3000 of the10th Anniversary Edition were built with Sapphire Blue Mica Paint, Blue Seats, Blue Wheel and Blue shifter. It had a six speed manual, polished wheels, Bilstein shocks and a front suspension tower bar.
3000 Special Editions were built in 2000 in Merlot Mica, Nardi, polished wheels, Bose stereo, a six speed with an automatic as optional.
The 2001 Special Edition (3000 built) featured British Racing Green paint, Tan Leather interior with Nardi steering wheel, shifter, & brake, 16 inch polished wheels, Bilsteins, ABS, LSD, Cruise, 6 speed, Bose, and optional hardtop.
2002 SE came in two colors – Titanium Gray (1491 units) or Blazing Yellow (1000 units)
2003 saw 1549 SE units in Strato Blue Mica
2003 also had the Shinsen Version (1451 units) purely cosmetic
Finally, in 2003 Mazda built 50 Miatas to SCCA standards with no options
In 2004 Mazda produced 4000 Mazdaspeeds, and 1428 in 2005. They bumped up the horsepower with a turbo, added 17 inch wheels, Bilstein shocks and various cosmetic mods.
The 2006 Limited Edition was the first NC in Velocity Red with Grand Touring specs.
n 2011 I bought a, “like new”, 2001 British Racing Green Special Edition with 10,500 miles on it. I personalized it with a Polished Stainless Hard Dog Deuce roll bar, dual exhaust, K&N air intake, Wilwood Brakes with drilled and slotted rotors, and a new entertainment center with handsfree phone, bluetooth, and backup camera. It receives a lot of comments.
Hey a Levi’s interior when AMC did on a Gremlin…why not a JEEP? Well…
I’ve always liked the F-150 Pace Truck, but I always wondered why they copied the Delta 88 Pace Car.
I owned a Chrysler 300C Heritage Edition. From what the brochure said, there were only two per dealership. I do regret selling that one.
Over the years I spent at dealerships I was responsible for irresponsibly creating “Dealer Edition” vehicles. As the parts dude I’d equip a vehicle with aftermarket parts that would cost $500, sell that package installed to the sales dept for $1,000 and they would sell the vehicle to the general public for all kinds of mark-up.
The Special? Marketing!