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I’ve seen some pretty odd and particular special editions over the years. Most of the time it is a cash grab by manufactures during the end of a generation to clear out stock and move aging units before a fresh new model comes. Other times its anniversary editions that make sense, but lots of times are clearly just mailing it in. Today, I have one of these strangest special editions I’ve ever seen.
This is the 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL320 Edition. Not Special Edition, not Anniversary Edition, just Edition. They literally just called it the “Edition.” Why? I have no idea. The even more bizarre thing is there was another special edition 2000 SL320 in the Mille Miglia edition. That car looks exactly the same as this one except for the badges. Someone help me here.
Two decades in, is it finally time for the 996 Porsche 911? Personally, I think so. Our negative feelings on things generally seem to wane over time, and after 20 years, that seems to be the case for the 996.1. Are we looking at 964 and 993 levels of appreciation? Of course not. But I do think that these will slowly become less of a black sheep of the 911 family and more of just an entry-level into the 911 family.
Today’s car, a 1999 up for sale Nebraska, looks most certainly to be one the prime examples to snatch up. It’s classic Arctic Silver Metallic over a Boxster Red special leather interior, and just to top it all off, it has just 29,000 miles. This one will be a fight.
As I get older, the less and less I want to deal with cars that aren’t comfortable. I adore my 1983 240D with nearly 300,000 miles on it, but when its 22 degrees out and I’m de-icing locks, barely getting any heat out of the vents, and woefully accelerating, I’m not all that happy. Every time I’m in this situation, I yearn for a car I get in, turn on, and drive away in total comfort. Not necessarily a soulless appliance, but a car that satisfies my inner needs for a machine that is “special.” What car could do that job exceptionally well? The Mercedes-Benz S-Class, of course. But not just any S-Class. An S-Class with a designo interior just to be extra “special.”
Fresh off last week’s 2018 Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG, I thought I’d look at one of the first vehicles equipped with the M275 engine, the W220 S600. This engine replaced the god awful M158 V12 that lasted a few short years and was by far the better engine for the job. It was so good, they literally put it in almost every vehicle in their range for the next 15 years, including that G65 that I just mentioned. You would think an old twin-turbocharged V12 would be nothing but trouble, but they are fairly easy to live with as long as you remember it is an old twin-turbocharged V12.
This 2004 S600 up for sale in Texas comes in with just a little over 32,000 miles and seems to be in top shape. Admittedly, it isn’t the most attractive car ever in terms of looks and of course the tech is a bit dated, but for the price, is it worth look?
My first real car was a B5 Audi A4 1.8t, which means everything related to the B5 RS4 was “it.” That was the holy grail and everything the B5 chassis aspired to be. It had all the little special touches and had just enough differences that made it far from just a B5 S4 Avant with more power. Even more, you are waiting until 2025 to even see one in the US outside of a few rare examples that made their way in. This was the car. Even now that these cars are 20 years-old, the want is still there and the prices reflect that. Today’s example, a 2001 finished in Goodwood Green, is checking all the boxes for me. Just four more years, right?
