It isn't uncommon for automakers to reveal special edition models that will only be sold in one country. Typically, the special edition is reserved for the country where the car is built. We have seen Lexus reveal special edition versions of the RC-F and GS-F to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the F Performance brand. Since Lexus is a Japanese brand, it wasn't a big surprise that these special models were announced for Japan. Our surprise was much greater when we discovered Cadillac has released a special edition model for Japan only.
It is called the ATS-V Vector Blue Special, and it will likely be the rarest ATS-V in the world. Cadillac will only build five examples of the car in Japan only, and there is no word on whether all five have already been sold. As the name suggests, this special edition wears Vector Blue paint with a two-tone Jet Black and Saffron Orange interior with carbon fiber trim. The wheels are painted in a dark grey finish and the Brembo brake calipers are painted in a special gold color. The engine has been left untouched, so it remains a 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 464 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque going out to the rear wheels.
Cadillac's Japanese website mentions an eight-speed automatic, so the six-speed manual from the standard car may not be available on the Vector Blue Special. Now is the part where we would typically get mad at Cadillac for making such an amazing special edition and only letting Japan have it. However, we aren't too impressed by this particular car. The Vector Blue Special is priced at 11,043,000 yen after tax, which works out to around $103,000 in the US.
That is a massive amount considering that the ATS-V starts at $61,595 in the US. We do like the Vector Blue paint that comes on this car, but we found out that it is just a $595 option available on the standard ATS-V. We may not get the special interior and gold brakes, but we can still order a Vector Blue ATS-V that doesn't cost over $100,000. If Cadillac had done something really special like stick the LT1 V8 into it, then we would have been much more upset that is was only sold in Japan. As it stands, this is a special edition that we won't miss.
