They used to be commonplace, but the last decade or so has seen this automotive phenomenon fade from memory. Today we talk special branded editions, and how it’s time for them to make a comeback.
Today’s question was generated by a Twitter conversation the other day, when another Twitterer posted some photos of the superb 205 Lacoste Special Euro Yuppie Edition. While branded special editions and trims were used to denote luxurious or sporty versions of vehicles between the Sixties and the early part of the 2000s, they’re much less common now.
Sure, you could get a Fiat 500 Gucci (Jennifer Lopez, stop!) until a few years ago, but such branding just isn’t there any more.
The Nautica trim Villager was very exclusive, as were the Pucci, Bill Blass, and Valentino Lincoln vehicles. General Motors had that ghastly Gucci Seville in the Eighties, but I’m not calling for any of those kinds of things anymore. And perhaps something more subtle than a Pierre Cardin Javelin, too.
And that’s today’s question. What vehicles on sale in 2019 are most deserving of branded special editions or trims, and with which brands? The Navigator Yacht Club comes to mind today — all it needs is the Bill Blass logo. Take my money!
[Images: General Motors, Ford]
The Affliction Ford Raptor.
Ouch.
HAHAHA
The Vans Kia Rio.
Or Converse All-Star. This is actually a really good idea.
The PINK Ford Mustang. Not pink – PINK.
More subtle than an Oleg Cassini Matador?
They replaced the hood ornament and horn crest with Gucci. They should consider trying that again, might boost sales to hide the crest.
https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/1979-white-cadillac-seville-gucci-edition-1343000
And since one showed up on Twitter just a moment ago – the 500 GUCCI.
https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/sacramento-2013-fiat-gucci-edition-low/6873432469.html
Also the B-pillar interior logo applique is on upside down.
Knew someone with a Fiat Gucci…
They actually showed up at the “Indian Capitol Car Show” a few times with it which made me lol.
Every car needs a Brougham trim option with puffier interior softer suspension balloonier tires and extra sound deadening.
^^This, branding makes me think of Broughams and there’s nothing more dated then a Brougham. Cars as fashion statements look so dated so quickly
A good example of how bad branding can be was the Cadillac “Trump Series” limos. Apparently Cadillac made several of these and gave them to Trump for his approval. He supposedly kept the prototypes and never got back to Cadillac
http://www.trbimg.com/img-599ee057/turbine/ct-photo-gallery-trump-cadillac-at-the-volo-au-001
http://www.trbimg.com/img-599ee058/turbine/ct-photo-gallery-trump-cadillac-at-the-volo-au-003
Well of course he did.
Ah, the ’80s…
Yep, nothing says cheap, showy 80s like a Trump limo
I always thought it was a miss for GM to not do a “Sega Edition” of the Sonic.
And why no Jurassic Park Explorers or Wranglers? Instead we got Harley Davidson F150s and Call of Duty Jeeps. Lame!
I remember when Caroline Ellis was a writer here, and she bought a Sonic and named it “Tails”…which I thought was awesome.
Nautica or Nautilus edition Navigator is a no brainer.
I’m surprised someone hasn’t tried “REI” edition CUVs.
I’m also surprised that GMs partnership for “North Face” edition vehicles didn’t last longer.
This sort of thing made more sense when cars lasted as long as fashions did. What would True Religion branding do for the resale value of an otherwise well preserved 2007 IS250?
How about a “Baby Phat” edition or “Apple Bottom” ;-)
I occasionally see a Hot Wheels Camaro parked at the Metro garage. So maybe this is a thing that’s best left in the past.
On the other hand, I always liked Levis-themed vehicles. Denim interior? That at least is something unique.
The problem with fashion branding is that fashion comes and goes. Nautica was all the rage when the Nautica Villager came out, but who’s buying those clothes now? So few brands stay relevant over the years – the only ones I can really think of are Ralph Lauren, Levis, and maybe couple of haute couture brands that probably wouldn’t want to be associated with a mass produced car. The rest come and go.
Besides, everyone’s into “fast fashion” now anyway, which isn’t going to work unless you do an “H&M Edition” of something, and that’s just f**king stupid. The only brands that really resonate anymore are all tech-oriented, and an IPhone-edition car is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Or they go down in prestige. Back in the early ’80s I bought a couple of Merona polos at Neiman Marcus. A couple of years later, Target was carrying Merona stuff.
You mean, polos made of Merona wool, or branded “Merona”?
Merino. Merino wool is the thing.
I loved Mossimo’s black label— late 1990s prints for men. Few were doing them as well or as approachably. Target bought the name and installed red labels.
Tat.
Levi’s ran a silver tab with Target and they weren’t traditional. Don’t know if that lasted.
Best example of this for me is Kohl’s. Kohl’s is a clearinghouse of decade old brandnames. Dockers separated from Levi Strauss and Kohl’s is selling them now. Same with Chaps, which used to be approachable Lauren, but…
Oh, how I could go on!
The Westinghouse fusebox from 1958 with the same branding and logo as the K-Mart TV from 2010.
iirc Levis did have a an AMC (Pacer or Gremlin?)edition back in the day, with denim seats
I kinda liked the Harley edition color scheme F150, although the Blackwood looked better overall
Levis Gremlin and Levis CJ Jeep I can’t recall if the Pacer was part of that or not.
Looking at oldcarbrochures.com, the Gremlin got the Levi’s option for ’76, then it was added to the Pacer for ’77.
It so happens today’s Jalopnik NP or CP features a Jeep CJ 7 Levi’s
edition for $9,500. Apparently the seat upholstery is not quite original.
https://jalopnik.com/at-9-500-could-this-1976-jeep-cj7-levi-s-edition-be-1834238252
The Chrysler Imperial-Frank Sinatra Edition. It came with a case of Sinatra cassettes.
“The Dude” Edition early 70’s Dodge Truck. The ads featured Don Knotts. I take it a Barney Fife or Andy Griffith edition was not in the offering.
Ford had a pretty good run with Eddie Bauer Explorers. They used to be everywhere for awhile. My favorite obscure trim is the Dodge Dart Hang 10, although I don’t think it is expressly tied-in with Hang Ten surfwear that was very “in” during my pre-teen years in the 70’s.
there were Eddie Bauer F-150s, too. It was a thing when I bought my XLT in ’95. For the F-150 it was the paint (“Putty” as the lower paint color), F-150 emblems without trim level designation on the front fenders, “Eddie Bauer” decals on the bed sides, the Alcoa alloy wheels (which my XLT was optioned with), the 1996 style front bumper shared with the Super Duty diesels (I later added that bumper to mine), fiberglas cab steps, and a slightly nicer interior fabric in Mocha, and different trim strips on the dash and door panels.
Lots of Ford light trucks came in Eddie Bauer: Aerostar, Bronco II, F-150, Explorer, Taurus X, Expedition, and Bronco. There may have been more that I cant think of at the moment.
Eddie Bauer F150 always makes me smile because an early 90s Eddie Bauer F150 was the plow truck at the apt complex I lived at from 2002-2005.
Oh how the mighty had fallen.
A new F-150 cant be a plow truck? I sure see plenty of examples on the internet.
It could, but plowing with an F-150 will void its warranty.
If Oldsmobile were still around, GM would have trouble keeping up with demand for the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Supreme.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_(brand)
When I first saw those “Supreme” stickers, I thought they were from gas stations (regular, midgrade, supreme). Then Daughter No. 3 (14yo) informed me it was a “lifestyle” brand. She had one of their stickers (loose) under her clear iPhone case, until someone at school swiped it. :-|
How about the Ford Thunderbird FILA Edition?
http://www.2040-cars.com/Ford/Thunderbird/1985-ford-thunderbird-fila-edition-low-miles-original-paint-622822/
or
https://www.defynewyork.com/2011/03/29/fila-x-ford-motor-company-the-fila-ford-thunderbird-1984/
Or the Jeep Grand Cherokee Orvis Edition?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Grand_Cherokee_(ZJ)
I did have one of these rare FILA edition T-Birds, leased new. But it was not red and I don’t remember (from memory) that edition being offered in red. In my memory they were only in the ‘off white’ colour. And they came with a FILA ‘gym bag’ with some FILA swag.
Just like the one Bjorn Borg drives in this commercial:
I also had and still lust after a Pucci edition Mark IV. My all time favourite vehicle.
And have to admit, that a Frank Sinatra edition adds panache to an otherwise undistinguished vehicle.
I sort of remember white and navy blue FILA edition Thunderbirds, but I don’t remember the red either. Those Mark IVs are neat, in an obscure dusty 70s way!
The AAA branded Alfa Romeo or FIAT, because you’ll need towing.
(Calm down, it’s a joke)
Branching out from fashion, the hyper-adjustable seats in the Continental (and other newer Lincolns) are already inspired by an Eames chair, why not go all the way with a Lincoln Herman Miller edition?
I was following a Dually today and was thinking, “That’s it, a Kim Kardashian Dually”
Please make it a Bronco.
This is fun also because Bro n Co.
CH-R Hobbit Edition
I’m a bit older than a lot of people here and I have no shame in saying that as a young lad I coveted, COVETED, the designer editions of the Continental Mk V. Especially the Givenchy edition.
Viagra edition Corvette?
I loved the LLBean Forrester….
Jack Nicklaus Town Car had a very lovely shade of green. Too bad it was matched with various golf-related colors that took away from the really cool green.
Well if Ram ever made a proper SUV again they need a Lone Wolf edition with the Hellcat motor. The commercial would start with it bursting out of the ground.