Thursday Pitch

Special editions have always been a big part of automotive sales. Possibly the most famous example (in Australia at least) is the Falcon Cobra, a V8 hardtop in a party frock that was a cynical marketing exercise to shift some unwanted hardtops in the late 70's.

Since then, there have been an innumerable number of pointless and sometimes bizarre special editions. There have been 25th, 30th, 40th and 50th Anniversary Falcons, plus versions bearing the names of Craig Lowndes (now drives a Holden), Russell Ingall (the Enforcer), and brands as diverse as Cartier and Ripcurl.

Holdens have not been immune - Commodore Vacationer or a Greg Norman Calais, anyone? Even my current work car, an embarrassingly poverty-spec VE is emblazoned with "International" badges, I think because someone misread a build sheet and put premium sound in an otherwise unoptioned car.

Some special editions had street cred - the balanced, blueprinted and dynotuned Bib Stillwell Special Fords of the late 60's and early 70's were nothing to be sneezed at. And no-one ever accused the Hertz Shelby GT350 of being a cynical marketing exercise.

When asked, a significant number of petrolheads would name the Peter Wherett Mitsubishi Sigma as the most comical special.

But only if they'd never heard of the Carla Zampatti Laser.