Special editions: are they really that special?
These are the creation of the new car marketing droids who are thinking of enhanced sales with the promise of a snazzy paint job and a few extra pieces of kit. Traditionally, that never translates into anything like higher used car values, thank goodness; it just makes the vehicle rather more saleable to people like us. So are there any that we should be taking a closer look at?
Rustling around the cheapies, I was delighted to stumble across a 1993 Volvo 440 XI Limited Edition at just £395. It’s one of those ironically hip – rather than hip replacement– nouveau not-quite classics. With racing green paint, sports seats and I don’t know what else, it will always make £395 for as long as it can pass an MOT. The rarity special-edition factor will always help, too, even if the automatic transmission doesn’t.
If you’re buying a cheapie, a Ford Focus is a sensible way to go. Ford has long offered Black editions, so a 2001 1.6i petrol with leather, and in black, of course, is a snip at £790. You’ll have to wait decades for any significant value hike, but it’s a comfy car and not an old bloke’s Ghia.
We don’t want saloons, though, do we? We want character, excitement and a really, really good special-edition name. Well, that would be the Mazda RX-8 Nemesis.
There were a couple of specials based on the 228bhp models, butthis used the 189bhp motor. Never mind, the name is rather awesome. Only 350 were made, most in Copper and some in Stormy Blue, and it has all sorts of rotary crests, Nemesis floor mats and random pieces of chrome. The one I found is blue, so it’s a rarity right there.
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expert knowledge?
My wife got £1750 part ex for a 05 Celica with 24000 miles on the clock and full Toyota history Looking at Autotrader its not far out so who on earth would pay £5000 for one
Wrong priorities