There's an old saying that "good things are worth waiting for." Over time, we've come to realize how true this statement is. Not just with what particular cars we may be interested in at the time, but much more, too.
Whenever we see a new, clean sports car, we can't help but get excited for what's to come. However, if you have the patience to wait for a newer and faster, 'limited edition' run of the same vehicle, you'll find it was certainly worth the wait.
To showcase what we mean by this, we've gathered up a selection of amazing special edition sports cars from the years 2000 to 2020, proving that the best isn't always the status quo.
8 Ford Focus RS500
With the Ford Focus had left American markets for quite some time now, we can look back and appreciate what we had (before it was gone). Our favorite of them, bar none, is the 500-unit Ford Focus RS500.
Produced in 2010, these special Focus' were wildly powerful for their small hot-hatch frame. Making around 365-hp, the RS500 rocked the 'hot hatch' community. Though, thanks to such a low number of models, an authentic RS500 is getting close to a $100,000 price tag.
7 Ford Mustang Bullitt Edition
In the year 2021, we may not have flying cars or machines to move us quicker than a speeding bullet. We do, on the other hand, have the next best thing: a 'Bullitt' Mustang.
Joking aside, we're very happy to have seen the Bullitt title last as long as it did. From the 1960s until 2019, the Bullitt Mustang has stood as a constant example of both amazing filmmaking and even better vehicle design. The dark green colors mixed with the classic American muscle car spirit is something that we wish would never leave us. Sadly, it has, but it'll almost certainly return soon.
6 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
It's been cool to watch Mercedes-AMG F1 dominate the Formula One calendar for the past couple of years. Although it can get a little boring at times, we (as consumers) benefit from their success on the track. After all, all that data translates into better tech; for the F1 engineers AND us.
The perfect instance of this can be seen in the latest Mercedes supercar - the AMG GT Black Series. As if to prove that their success isn't exclusive to F1, Mercedes went ahead and set one of the fastest lap-times on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in this bad boy! Of course, the 'Black Series' are rare instances of basic AMG cars, so don't expect any to be in stock anytime soon.
5 McLaren P1 GTR
When the McLaren P1 was first released back in 2012, the last thing we were thinking was "Wow! If only it had a bit more power, though." As Jeremy Clarkson himself put it, the base P1 is one hell of a car as is. So, just think about how much quicker the track-purpose GTR trim is.
More power, less weight, and tons of new tech. Those and a whole lot more are what the P1 GTR has over the regular P1. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it isn't street-legal. Or, well it WAS only for the track. Since then, many road-legal alternatives have been built. But, those are even more rare and expensive than the $3 million+ GTR.
4 BMW E46 M3 CSL
Improving on perfection can be an extremely difficult task. In fact, many would argue that it's impossible; that one cannot make better what is already without flaws. We disagree and use the BMW E46 M3 'CSL' as our prime piece of evidence.
We've made it no secret that the E46 M3 is one of our favorite BMWs ever made (if not the best sports car of its time). The CSL trim, though, is on a whole other level! It's (obviously) faster, but that's not it. More importantly, it's a limited-run version. Thus, it's pined after much more.
3 Ferrari SP12 EC
Now, getting a brand new Ferrari is already difficult as is. Not only do you need to meet their requirements as a good steward of their brand, but you must also have owned several other Ferrari models in the past. However, if you're some famous singer such as perhaps Eric Clapton, you won't have to worry about that so much.
Back in 2012, musician Eric Clapton got together with Ferrari designers to create his own custom, one-off Ferrari model just for him. The result is what you see here: the Ferrari SP12 'EC'.
Using the then-new Ferrari 458 Italia as a baseline, the SP12 EC is intended to be a modern take on the first mid-engine production Ferrari - The 512 BB/BBi. Using the classic styling of the Boxster in tandem with the new 4.5-liter N/A V8 makes for the perfect tribute car! Fit not only for Eric Clapton but for anyone who treasures classic Ferrari's as he does.
2 Bugatti Chiron ‘Pur Sport’
Since the mid-2000s, when Bugatti stepped back into the limelight with the Veyron, the once dormant French supercar producer has been revived to all-new levels. Just about every year, Bugatti makes a couple of special edition versions of their current cars. They did this with the Veyron and now with its successor, the Chiron.
The newest Chiron to come out of the Bugatti factory is the 'Pur Sport'. Its purpose is to be just like the base Chiron, but with much more focus on on-track performance. Fitted with a new aero-kit, extra horsepower, a lighter curb-weight, and a different handling setup, the Chiron Pur Sport shows that going in a straight line isn't the ONLY thing Bugatti can do.
1 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37
Lamborghini has undergone many changes as of late. Not only were they purchased by Audi A.G. a few decades ago, but they've also switched designers; placing newcomer Mitja Borkert at the head.
Thankfully, Mr. Borkert brings a breath of fresh air to the Italian automaker, contrasting our fears of a possible change for the worst. He proved his skills with the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio, then again with the Huracan STO and (now) the Lamborghini Sián; bringing a hybrid power-unit to new Lamborghini hypercars!
At first, we thought the Sián would be another mass-produced Lamborghini to replace the Aventador. Yet, only the latter is true. The Sián will be limited to only 63 units, making it a special edition version that will also see a replacement before too long. Then again, with a price tag of over $3 million apiece, Lamborghini probably wouldn't sell as many as the Aventador anyways.