Just realised this, one of the stable of cars I assume maintenance and repair responsibilities for is in fact a limited edition.
Its a Clio Extreme 3. Now you might expect 0-60 in under 7 seconds, and some serious horsepower under the bonnet.....its an "Extreme" and not just an Extreme 1..its an Extreme 3.
So what are its special features? Here's one for free. Those clever folk at the Renault Special Editions design department (upholstery sub-group) must have been ecstatic when presented with the "orange barcode" option.
"The special edition Clio Extreme 3 benefits from some unique interior and exterior treatments.
Clio Extreme 3 has sports seats upholstered in a new dark grey anthracite cloth with orange exclusive 'Extreme 3 barcode' logos. This unique orange detailing also features on the instrument dials, the dashboard and trim strip. The fascia inserts are in a silver-grey metallic finish and the seat belts are also in silver-grey.
The Clio Extreme 3 is definitely not for the shy and retiring on the outside either, available with a one of a kind colour, the brand new illusion metallic colour 'Extreme Orange'. Clio Extreme 3 is also available in Royal Blue, Metallic Platinum or Pearl Black. The colours fit the special edition Clio well reflecting the vibrant, bright energy associated with the car.
Additional unique equipment for Clio Extreme 3 includes body coloured Sports Rear Spoiler and door mirrors which add to the overall attractiveness of the car. Caroli wheel trims are also a specific new feature for the Clio Extreme 3.
A new sports front bumper with additional front fog lights and a glass sunroof completes the list of stylish new Clio Extreme 3's impressive features.
In keeping with its sporty look and feel, Clio Extreme 3 comes as a three door only.
As others have said, lots of 2CV special editions and its a bit hard to say of they were special editions or time limited mainstream models. Oddly the un-special standard version was called 2CV Special. We had a Dolly - nopt as plush as a Charleston which had chrome headlights and fancier paint. The dolly came (at least from our dealer) with a cassette tape - Louis Armstrong including "hello dolly". No tape player in the car though - but it was dead easy to fit one below the parcel shelf. Mrs me got promoted to senior manager job at work and a free Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 cdi arrived, hence sale of the Dolly much earlier than we would normally get rid of things.
Not sure if the Renault 5 Gordini counts a s special edition or not. Here it is anyway.
They did a Turbo - mid engined fat backsided beast - which was clearly a difefernt model. The Gordini, badged Alpine in France, was a warmed over 1360 fwd version, 16v head on a push rod engine, bit over 100bhp which was lots in a small car back then. Clattery and not that reliable, the timing needed pretty regular attention. Nice on a good day though, surprisingly comfortable and by today's standards really small.
As an aside, after 18 months 3 of the 4 rear brake cylinder seals started to leak. Renault wouldn't consider 'good will' contribution even though I pushed hard on the grounds that 3 out of 4 at 20k miles indicates manufacturing defect. Amazing how memories stick - never bought another Renault since.
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Current:C4 Max Hybrid, C3 1.2 Auto
Past Citroens: Dyane (x2), 2CV, Visa, BX (x2), Xantia, Xsara Picasso, C4 Picasso,C3 (x2) C5 X7 Tourer, Synergie 1.9TD, C1
Others: Hillman Hunter, Cortina Mk1, Maxi, VWT2, Granada, SAAB 900, SAAB 9-5, R5 Gordini
Your Louis Armstrong "Hello Dolly" accessory leads onto another special which you got a free package of music.
Appears regularly in those lists of best/worst limited editions.
More pics at AutomobileMagazine.com
"Frank Sinatra Edition Chrysler Imperial, available only in glacier blue to match Sinatra’s eyes. It carried special gold badging, a console with sixteen Sinatra cassettes from Reprise Records, and a cassette carrying case by Mark Cross"
The Artcurial Retromobile Auction has this example of a special edition. Only 200 production vehicles made, probably some requirement to fulfil for its rallying activity.
My heart always sinks when cars like this turn up in high-end auctions: another, previously, attainable, fun, niche model "reduced" to investment portfolio fodder.
Citroens:-
'81 2CV Club
'05 C15
'97 Xantia Exclusive estate
others:-
Jeep XJ Cherokees x 3
'96 Cadillac Eldorado
'99 Cadillac STS
& the numerous "abandoned projects"
China's SAIC own the brand now, although they do maintain an R&D, Design presence at Longbridge. Now whether that gets them round tariffs for importing Chinese manufactured Cars into the UK who knows?
I did read the other day that TESLA assemble knock down kits for their cars in the Netherlands, as their way of getting around pesky tariffs.
from wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knock-down_kit
Since 2013 Tesla operates an assembly plant in Tilburg, Netherlands.[15] It is used for the assembly of their fully electric Model S sedan and Model X SUV for the European Union, but not all of Europe since only cars imported to the EU benefit from circumventing the 10% import duty[16] (e.g. cars to Norway are shipped directly from the United States). For the most part the car is still manufactured in the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California. During the final assembly in the Netherlands various parts are added to the car most notably the rear subframe with the drive train as well as the battery pack.
Not many Special Edition DS were produced. If the blurb from Coys Auction is to be believed this is an example of the only one.......
Coys Blemheim Palace 29th June 2019
1972 Citroën DS S21 EFi Pallas Jubilee
Estimate £18,000 - £22,000
Lot 240
"Citroën built one special edition version of the DS. This version is sometimes called DS21 Jubilee and was available in model year 1972 only. This beautiful motorcar is in fact an incredibly rare 1972 Jubilee model. An immaculately presented example with a 5 speed full manual gearbox, column change in lovely condition and very desirable metallic nacre grey colour scheme with a black roof and black leather interior...."
This one caught my eye at Moffat at the weekend in a sea of hundreds of classic cars. I used to get a lift into town in one most days. This is a Hillman Hunter Topaz...........not that it tells you that on the badging.
There on the steering column was the little stick which flicked it into overdrive. There was always the overdrive moment on our town commute, when the lever was flicked-not as good an overdrive flicking moment as I subsequently enjoyed in my Triumph GT6. Much slicker... a literal barely detectable thumb only flick of the switch on the top of the gear knob
The Hunter also turned out to be one of my friends first cars, (not the topaz..just a bog standard white one) Mooching around town blaring out the Crusaders Street-life Album, and feeling more than a touch cool.
The Hunter Topaz was a Limited Edition of 1500 sold in the late 1975/1976. All had: Copperbeech metallic, Vinyl roof, Rostyle wheels, Push-button radio, Fawn brushed nylon seats, Servo-assisted brakes, Side repeater flashes, Overdrive, Inertia reel seatbelts.
I always find these head turners for me. Renault Megane Floride Limited Edition coupe/cabriolet. Had a nice little chat with the owner. I do like the original Renault Floride of the late 50's/60's as my avatar testifies.
This was one of my first encounters with a French car other than the Renault 750, I had to fit a water pump and remember well the delicate aluminium pump and very small screws that held it on.
