The Special Edition. It’s something that’s been around almost as long as the car itself, and some of the breed are very special indeed. For Issue 140 of evo we’ve collected together nine of the very best and taken them to Goodwood to assess their special status and also give you tips on how to buy one. Oh, and actually buy one ourselves…

The Alfa Romeo SZ, BMW M Coupe and M3 CSL, Ford Racing Puma, Lancia Hyena, Mercedes CLK DTM, Morgan Aeromax, Renaultsport Clio V6 255 and Subaru Impreza 22B all feature.

These cars weren’t built to boost sales numbers. They’re not useful and they weren’t created to be understood by everyone. But their existence does make our world a better, more interesting place, so we thought we’d celebrate them. Celebrate with us by perusing the gallery below then running out to buy Issue 140 of evo, on sale now.

With thanks to Goodwood Motor Circuit and Aerodrome (www.goodwood.co.uk)