Forgotten special editions are kind of my bag. I’ve written 21 different articles on various obscure limited-run models that have been lost to time and there are a few more to come. When I put these articles together, I have no defined system for what’s included and what isn’t. These cars must simply be noteworthy or desirable in some way and with sufficiently low production volumes. But there are plenty of special editions that just fade from our memory banks until we see one years later and go, “Oh, yeah. That was a thing.” Here are two. What have you seen?
For the last year of the first-generation Windstar, Ford added two models: a flagship Limited with leather seats and faux wood interior trim and a special edition Northwoods. According to Wikipedia, the latter was available on both the GL and LX trims, the GL getting cloth seating and silver wheels with gold pockets and the LX receiving leather trim and gold-painted wheels. It appears all Northwoods models received the same two-tone paint treatment, using one of the three different shades of green available on the Windstar that year. This is some real 1990s minivan arcana – I couldn’t find any other info on the Northwoods edition, even in the brochure.
While the above Windstar has its original green paint, the bright green on this 1980 Datsun 200B Aspen GL isn’t original. It sure is fetching but the original paint job on this special edition was quite distinctive for its day, too, being a two-tone “shadow tone” treatment in green, blue or gray. There were also “Volante” alloy wheels and button-tufted velour seats. Again, information on these is scarce and I’ve only been able to find photos of the car in its original gray.
I did, however, find a TV commercial for the Aspen GL. 1980 was the last year for the 200B, our version of the car known as the Bluebird and 810 elsewhere, so the Aspen GL was like a farewell special edition. The overall aesthetic – with the cushy velour seats and two-tone paint – wouldn’t have been out of place on a Buick Century or, well, a Dodge Aspen.
Is there a special edition vehicle you’ve stumbled across lately that you’d forgotten existed? Or perhaps one that you never realized existed?
Related Reading:
Top 10 Obscure Special Editions and Forgotten Limited-Run Models: Ford Edition, Part I
Top 10 Obscure Special Editions and Forgotten Limited-Run Models: Ford Edition, Part II
It’s interesting that Datsun would use so many different front ends on the same car depending on market. Here are two US-market Datsun 810s – 1977 on left, 1979 on right.
They had multiple dealer channels in Japan that weren’t exactly “divisions”
but did get cars with distinct model names and trim.
Saw a Jaguar X-Type wagon today, of which only 1,602 were imported to the US. Does that count?
Interesting you mention that…I was at Target the other day with another car-guy friend and we saw one of these elusive wagons.
His question to me was, “When was the last time you saw one of THOSE?”
“Never.”
“so the Aspen GL was like a farewell special edition.”
More like the “please buy a few more of these out of date models before we replace them with something better” edition.
Today’s U van reminded me of the short-lived “WB” edition of the Chevy Venture which included a DVD system and (possibly) some discs of old Warner Brothers cartoons to go with the badging. It has been awhile since I have seen one.
But I sure remember my young daughter pestering me to buy one when she learned about the DVD player that came with it. How do you say to a 5 year old “Honey, this is a POS that I would never, ever buy, and I don’t care if it comes with a 42 inch screen for the DVD player.”
I saw one of those today doing duty as a taxi cab no less!
I see a WB Venture pretty regularly. Someone in my neighborhood has one.
Aspen edition with Volante wheels. Surprised they didn’t get into trademark trouble.
Volante isn’t quite the same word as Volare, but they’re different forms of the same verb!
Land Rover Plus 35. A SWB SII I saw near a recent carshow with ‘Plus 35’ badge in the grille. Some goggling suggests its an Australian-only ‘limited edition’ with a 35% stronger rear diff.
As I shared with you today Will, I spotted a 2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette Final 500 Edition yesterday. Needless to say, it’s one of only 500. I’ll do an outtake on it at some point down the line.
So far, the only Final 500 edition I haven’t seen is the Bravada. But IIRC the “special” color was already available on the Bravada, unlike the other cars. The Intrigue got Aurora 4.0 chrome wheels, the Aurora got Seville STS wheels. The rest just got paint, badging, 2-tone leather and all options, along with an owner’s pack with some literature. I regularly see a F500 Aurora and an F500 Alero daily driven here in Allentown. Occasionally one of these will come up for sale nationally. The last I saw was an Aurora with 120k miles, ripped leather, some dents and mismatched-size tires (fronts were 225/55-17s and rears were correct 235/55-17s). Pretty sad end, but these really weren’t ever going to be particularly valuable. Just curiosities.
the local post office uses Chevy Venture vans they seem to be in perfect
condition how is this possible ?
Our local PO still had some Windstars, last I checked.
The average postal delivery vehicle averages something like 7 or 8 miles a day. I know they just cleared out the Seattle 98 Windstars and most had only 60k give or take on them. However they looked pretty bad with lots of dents and were generally pretty thrashed.
The Nissan is a nice looking car. The green really fits it. I used to call that Ford the Wind Sock. I have seen quite a few cars with an AutoZone (or something) emblem that says “Limited Edition” but not many actual limited editions. They often have those chrome stick-on ventiports too. I just realized I have nothing to add of value to this conversation but I will say things anyway because of, um, reasons.
Ah the Datsun 200B, the 180B with 20 more mistakes. 😂
This Datsun isn’t the same as the US market 810, is it? Ours was 6 cylinder only with extended wheelbase and length, I’m pretty sure. Any experts here? (Rhetorical question, I know)
No, Australia received the short nose 4 cylinder 2 litre model only, always with carbies no injection. Early sedans were imported from Japan with IRS, later ones were local assented with live coil rear end. We got the wagon with leaf rear end and the always imported hardtop with IRS.
Japan of course got the long nose 6 cylinders too.
Many years ago I used to see a Northwoods Windstar on a regular basis as someone not too far from where I lived at the time had one. It wore the 16″ polished star wheels like on the Limited. All of the of course relatively few Northwoods I saw were equipped like the Limited including those wheels and the same Leather seats but with Northwoods embroidered instead of Limited. Don’t know when it disappeared, probably about 10 years ago.
William, you have triggered a dusty response in the vast desert reserves of Trivial Shit available in my brain, (stuff so uselessly accumulated that it daily interferes with normal functioning, but I digress). And as a result, I regret to inform you that that Datsun is not an Aspen and not even from the second series of Oz 200B. The Volante wheels were always an option – on Fairlanes too, for trivialshit completeness – and I personally can’t ever recall seeing that slightly queasy colour on any second series Datto 200B, though on quite a few of the first. The window frames aren’t blacked out, nor are tailight surrounds.
I would agree that I really need to see a doctor – alright, a better doctor – save for this: a mate owned a first series, then a second series when they were about 8-10 years old, so I have some excuse. Yes, alright, alright, I probably knew this trivia anyway.
I’ll add that the first was a thoroughly awful device, the second “Australianised” one was significantly nicer, meaning it was just above awful.
200B’s of any type should have been limited editions, for the betterment of mankind, so on moral grounds, I’ll consider your post correct.
“200B’s of any type should have been limited editions, for the betterment of mankind,”
That is one of the funniest things I have ever read. 😂 But seriously they should have just made a larger version of the 1600/510 (ie similar to the Laruel from circa 1968) or the PGC10 Skyline sedan, as even the 180B was for the most part rubbish.
If that’s the case… Somebody must have found an Aspen GL logo lying around and stuck it on.
Now look here, if you’re going to go adding “facts” or “proof” and such, I really can’t be expected to compete.
It does beg a question, though. Who on god’s Datsun-green earth resprays a 200B (Aspen), and still punishes themselves unnecessarily by driving it? And, for the sake of their soul, WHY?
Hi William, this is my Aspen in the photo. Yep, it really is an ASPEN. Have had it since new, everything original, even the paint job. Someone either approaches me, beeps and waves or checks it out EVERY time I am out and about. Have been asked to sell and was checking out info for a possible value amount when I came across this site, couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the photo.
Justy Baum, I unfortunately need to inform you of this, you are totally wrong about this Datsun. It is an Aspen, the Volante wheels were standard, the paint is original (two tone), the black around the frames has unfortunately faded off over the years (it is now 41 years old – I think these photos were taken in 2015). I have owned this beauty since new. Everything original except for some motor parts. EVERY time I am out someone beeps, waves or approaches me to ask about it. I have been asked to sell and was doing some research to see about a possible value when I came across this site. Couldn’t believe my eyes where I saw the photos. Just thought I should correct your Trivial Shit.
I actually owned this same car back in the early 90’s. My Pa bought it new and my sister and I were lucky enough to be gifted it as our first cars. My old man got a reco engine put in it as it burned oil like it was a lizard drinking. Most comfortable velour bucket seats ever! Unfortunately my sister wrote it off on Collins St making an illegal right hand turn in front of a Tram …