Your favorite factory special edition of a "meh" vehicle.

Did it catch your eye?  Did it run like a scalded dog?  What was it that you like about it?

For me, I've got three that I always like to see (the rare times I can see the last one.)

PT Cruiser Turbo, cause turbo.

Harlequin VWs.  Because: Just look at it!

And finally, not really meh, but still.  The rental racecar, Ford Shelby GT-350H (or more modern GT-500H)

1980 Mexican Dodge Magnum.




300Hp 360, 4 speed, Dana 44.

In reply to Russian Warship, Go Berkeley Yourself :

TIL

89-90 McLaren Turbo Grand Prix

Homologation specials are great for this. 

The 16v cosworth is a favorite. I had one as a college kid but just couldn't maintain it, and had to let it go. MB really did throw every bit of engineering they had at it, and it's sort-of-maybe finally getting some of the respect it deserves vs. the E30 M3. Pobst and Camisa did a back to back track comparison of the two recently and it was eye opening.

I've had my eye on the Integra Type R lately. There are only so many 2+2 cars out there that are reliable, sporty, and bright berkeleying yellow...too bad values are on the rise.

323GTX. I had one when I moved to Florida and the tin worm caught up with it. I still have all its driveline on a pallet in my shop.

Someday I'll grab another one...

Oh man, so many!

The AMC designer cars (Gucci Hornet, Pierre Cardin Javelin, Oleg Cassini Matador), Cosworth Vega, SVO Mustang, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe Mach 1 (yes for real, look it up), and the SLP Firehawks are all favorites. 

The Spirit AMX with a giant flaming "AMX" on the good might have to take the cake though. 

The Ford Aspire Sport. "Sport" meant it had a useless rear spoiler, some graphics and nothing else. It just kinda rubbed the reality of the car in your face.

I worked the used car lot at a Ford dealership around the time these were searching for second owners, and a teal Aspire Sport was my favorite parts runner because you could drive the wheels off it in traffic and nobody would ever notice because all you were doing was keeping up.

1973.Sports bug , wider rims , recaros  , leather steering wheel

Mercury Marauder, a much better Grand Marquis/Crown Vic

Like I am not going to say it.

Take a boring Volvo sedan, double the power, double the drive wheels, add well-tuned active damping and mahOOsive brakes, stir in one of the nicest interiors this side of a Bentley, watch as people line up none deep to buy it...

JThw8 said:

Mercury Marauder, a much better Grand Marquis/Crown Vic

These always bugged me.  I mean, I love the Marauder and it's a great car, but it was such an also-ran.  Chevy had the Impala SS 94-96, and it took Ford almost 10 years to come up with a "me too" copy that was heavier and slower.

Which solidifies my answer.  Impala SS.  Take a 9C1 Caprice, drop it 1.25", killer wheels, leather, and some other options.  Nothing special, but yet... special.

My other fave is probably just on my mind because I'm shopping for one:  X308 Super V8/Daimler/VDP supercharged.  Take a swanky Vanden Plas and stuff it with an XJR drivetrain... then only ship about 1300 of them to the states.

The want is real.

Granada ESS

In high school, my friend's father had a silver four door ESS, with red interior, six cylinder and a four speed manual.

1974 Super Beetle Sun Bug

Keith Tanner said:

The Ford Aspire Sport. "Sport" meant it had a useless rear spoiler, some graphics and nothing else. It just kinda rubbed the reality of the car in your face.

I worked the used car lot at a Ford dealership around the time these were searching for second owners, and a teal Aspire Sport was my favorite parts runner because you could drive the wheels off it in traffic and nobody would ever notice because all you were doing was keeping up.

I had a non-Sport ASSpire(automatic) for a couple years after the window pane tried to chop off my right hand. It didn't have any particular redeeming qualities, but other than a wheel bearing it was pretty damn reliable despite how bad I beat on it.

Although it was lacking in spoiler size vs. the Aspire, don't forget the Pontiac(Daewoo) LeMans. 

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

Did the GSE have the twin cam engine like the Opel Kadett GSi had?

Wasn't there a 4 door fix body that was like a Mustang gt except with 4 doors?

Like a Ford Ltd lx or something?  Those seemed really cool when I learned about them.

In reply to wvumtnbkr :

I was just going to post about them.

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

JThw8 said:

Mercury Marauder, a much better Grand Marquis/Crown Vic

These always bugged me.  I mean, I love the Marauder and it's a great car, but it was such an also-ran.  Chevy had the Impala SS 94-96, and it took Ford almost 10 years to come up with a "me too" copy that was heavier and slower.

 

 I suggest finding one and driving it.  I've driven both and the Marauder is a whole lot less of a wallowing pig than an SS.  It was also much more than an appearance package car unlike the SS.

Mr_Asa said:

Did it catch your eye?  Did it run like a scalded dog?  What was it that you like about it?

 

For me, I've got three that I always like to see (the rare times I can see the last one.)

PT Cruiser Turbo, cause turbo.

 

Harlequin VWs.  Because: Just look at it!

 

 

And finally, not really meh, but still.  The rental racecar, Ford Shelby GT-350H (or more modern GT-500H)

There were 2 levels of PT Cruiser turbos, the regular and the one you have pictured, the PT GT.  IIRC the regular version had 180 hp & the GT had 240hp.  SWMBO had a PTGT. Same color as your picture. It had a clutch and was a fairly quick car.  I didn't drive it a often, but when I did I was well impressed.

Gucci Hornet Sportabout wagon:

Oleg Cassini Matador:

Pierre Cardin Javelin:

wvumtnbkr said:

Wasn't there a 4 door fix body that was like a Mustang gt except with 4 doors?

 

Like a Ford Ltd lx or something?  Those seemed really cool when I learned about them.

Ford Fairmont, Mercury Zephyr, both Fox platforms and both available as a two or four door as far as I can remember. 

I do remember a Reader's Rides section where some guy took a four door, stuck a Mustang nose on it and then did all the typical Fox body tricks to it.  Said he got a lot of looks of confusion. 

The ultimate MEH car - the Toyota Camry.

Some love it, some say that it's a bolt on package and nothing more. The Camry TRD

Ahem.....

GR Yaris.  The Yaris in WRC was already pretty crazy, then they made a production car for new homologation rules.

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

I was going to say the same. I wonder how many Camry TRD buyers did it for the lols.