Traditional car brands are scrambling for relevance in the face of new competition. Sales for Ford, Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi are in decline while new names such as Geely, Omoda Jaecoo, Chery and Zeekr take ground. The big brands are looking for an answer, and the solution is obvious – it's in their back catalogue. Special edition cars, especially with celebrity endorsement, are a uniquely Aussie secret weapon.
The Golden Age of Quirky Specials
Australia used to have a wonderful culture of quirky, sometimes ridiculous, special edition cars. They were surprising and unexpected collaborations with fashion brands, celebrities, and sports people. Others you may like. They didn't always make sense, but they were a delightful reflection of Australia's culture at the time. There are so many special edition cars, it's impossible to list them all. Here are some of the best examples:
1992 Holden Barina Sportsgirl Edition
In the 90s, Sportsgirl was a fashion brand with a lot of cultural cachet with younger women. When you think about it, it was perfectly matched with the small, affordable Holden Barina. This special edition came with the Sportsgirl stripes as decals on the side and a $50 voucher to spend in store. That way, you could buy an outfit that matched your car. The Barina was otherwise standard under the hood, with a four-cylinder, 1.3 litre engine.
1992 Nissan Pulsar Reebok
Speaking of fashion brand mashups, the Reebok Pulsar is another cult classic. Based on the N13 Nissan Pulsar, the limited-edition hatch had Reebok decals, white wheel covers and sporty trim. Only 200 of these limited-edition cars were made, all with a standard 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine. You might have been better off running – which is perhaps why they included a pair of Reebok shoes with every sale.
2007 Ford Falcon Rip Curl XR6 Ute
Does it get more Australian than the Rip Curl Falcon ute? In 2007, Ford teamed up with the iconic surf brand to create a special-edition ute with $2700 of extras. The BF Mk II came decked out with Rip Curl decals and badges, upgraded wheels, a better sound system, and — most famously — neoprene-style waterproof seat covers. Practical after a surf, perhaps, though probably a bit sweaty in summer. Powered by Ford's famous 4.0-litre inline-six, the Rip Curl Falcon ute was a glorious mash-up of beach culture and tradie life.
1989 Peter Brock Lada Samara
Legendary racing driver Peter Brock wasn't shy about putting his name on a car. Most people remember his long association with Holden, but Brock specials stretched much further. His name appeared on everything from high-performance Holdens to unlikely endorsements of the 1990 Ford EA Falcon. But perhaps the strangest car to bear the Peter Brock name was the Russian Lada Samara. Brock's name was an attempt to lend some credibility to the absurdly-cheap Soviet-built cars which were sold in Australia during the 1980s. Peter Brock famously developed hot-rod Commodores. But not even the King of the Mountain could save the Lada Samara from bad publicity. The Russian car was plagued with reliability issues and poor build quality which turned Australians away from the brand. Not many Brock Ladas have survived, which is a shame. They'd be a hit at any Cars and Coffee meetup in Australia.
1993 Rex Hunt Edition Nissan GQ Patrol
Believe it or not, even AFL player-cum-television fisherman Rex Hunt had a special edition car. In 1993, Hunt put his name to the Japanese Nissan GQ Patrol. Naturally, the car came with a fishing rod, reel and tackle box. Hunt is famous for his love of fishing. The vehicles also featured $3,000 worth of extras like a bullbar, roof racks, alloy side steps, and a spare-wheel cover with the Hunt logo. Under the hood, however, the Patrol Hunt edition was identical to the standard ST3 model, with 3.0-litre inline-six petrol engine. Did Rex Hunt give every car a kiss before they were sent to their new owners? I'd like to think so.
