There are several reasons why a carmaker may decide to produce a special-edition model. It may be to commemorate a particular event or cement the legacy of a notable person in the carmaker’s history.
Whatever the reason, special-edition cars often showcase the best of the carmaker’s design and engineering and end up as highly desirable collector items. Here, we spotlight a few obscure special-edition supercars that may have slipped beneath your radar.
Pagani Huayra Lampo
In stock form, the Huayra is one of the most elegant hypercars today. The Huayra Lampo special edition takes the car’s visual appeal to new heights. The one-off creation was a collaboration between Horacio Pagani and Lapo Elkann, the founder of Garage Italia Customs. The design was inspired by the Fiat Turbina, a wild concept car first unveiled in 1954.
The Huayra Lampo stands out with the Turbina’s famous livery. Also, the gold used in the fiat Turbina was used to treat some of the Huayra’s aluminum bodywork. The Huayra Lampo is fitted with the ‘Tempesta’ package, which means larger front openings and new aero elements different from the stock Huayra.
Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Crown Edition
This gem is based on the SLR McLaren 722 edition, itself another limited-series car of which only 150 units were made. Unlike the 722 Edition cars, only ten units of the Crown Edition SLR McLarens were manufactured. A plaque in each car identifies its particular position in the production run.
Other differentiating elements include gold accents around the vehicle, including the ‘Crown Edition’ lettering at the back. Power comes from a supercharged V8 that cranks out 641 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. It’s enough for a 3.6-second sprint to 60 mph and a 209 mph top speed.
Lamborghini Murcielago Versace Edition
The unicorn of the Murcie clan – only 20 units were produced (in both coupe and roadster body styles). As implied by the name, this Murcielago special edition was the product of a collaboration between Lamborghini and the Versace fashion house. The Murcielago LP640 Versace came with all the options available for the supercar.
In addition, each car came complete with a Versace luggage set, calfskin driving shoes and leather driving gloves. The car also stood out with a specially designed interior embroidered with the Versace ‘Couture Limited Edition’ logo and a numbered plaque.
Ferrari J50
In 2016, Ferrari celebrated its 50th anniversary of operations in Japan by unveiling the J50. The Ferrari J50 is a mid-engined roadster, limited to 10 units and available only for the Japanese market. The car boasted bodywork that referenced Ferrari road cars of the 1970s and 1980s.
However, each J50 supercar was a bespoke creation tailored specifically to the client’s requirements. The powertrain was derived from the 488 GTB, but the 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 was tweaked to generate 690 hp, up from 661 hp.
McLaren 720S ‘Canada 10th Anniversary MSO 1/10’ Edition
Pfaff Reserve is McLaren’s official dealer in Canada. To celebrate ten years of the business partnership, the dealer commissioned McLaren’s Special Operations (MSO) division to produce special-edition units of the now-discontinued McLaren 720S.
Only ten cars were made, split between three coupes and seven spider models. Special touches on each example include a custom-painted stripe with an inset maple leaf graphic, MSO logos on the head restraints and a special MSO dedication plaque.
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Concorde
Aston Martin is wrapping up production of the DBS with the special-edition DBS 770 Ultimate. However, there is a lesser-known limited edition variant dubbed the DBS Superleggera Concorde. It was commissioned to mark the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s maiden flight.
Limited to 10 cars, each unit is finished in the same colour as the infamous passenger jet. The DBS Superleggera Concorde also bears several Concorde emblems, a Mach Meter graphic on the driver’s sun visor and paddle shifters made from the Concorde jet’s compressor blades.
Audi R8 ‘Green Hell’
The Audi R8 Green Hell is a special tribute to the highly successful R8 LMS, a race car that has won the 24 Hours on the Nurburgring six times since 2012. Audi only made 50 units of the limited-series R8 Green Hell, and they are all numbered consecutively.
The cars were available in a choice of dark Tioman green, Ibis white or Daytona gray colours. The front hood, A-pillars, roof and rear end are covered with a special matt-black foil to give the cars a racing look. ‘Green Hell R8’ logos can be found in places like the car’s windshield, floor mats and sideblade.
Automobili Pininfarina Battista Anniversario Edition
The Automobili Pininfarina Battista is a hyper-EV that shot to the limelight with its record-breaking acceleration feats. Only 150 units will be built, each priced north of $2 million. However, if that’s not exclusive enough, the Pininfarina Anniversario Edition is limited to just five units.
Each of the five hand-crafted cars is finished in a combination of the carmaker’s signature colours – Bianco Sestriere, Grigio Antonelliano and Iconica Blu. The hyper-EV will also feature a bespoke rear wing, rear aero fins and other details unique to the Anniversario Edition models.
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