Are special edition cars necessary in Singapore?

In a nutshell, yes, I do personally and professionally think that having special edition cars are necessary, regardless of how boring (or exciting) the car in question is. Of course, I do wish that I could end my short and sweet story there with just 28 words, but you and I know that that's not how a good story works.  

So since there's a good chance this story is going to be about 800 words long, you'll have to bear with my outstanding opinions as I struggle to type this out with a glass in my left hand and a bottle of scotch in my right.

A brand new car such as the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid (pictured) will set you back about $230k

Let me have it

Let's be honest. Buying a brand new car in Singapore is quite a bit like buying a yacht in Monaco or having a month-long holiday at a multi-level chalet with panoramic views of the alps at St. Moritz. It's more than just about getting from point to point. It's about being able to humble brag a little on your social media without coming across as trying too hard. It's a luxury experience - one that not many Singaporeans can actually afford. 

Just the sky-high taxes and ERP gantries are enough to kill you, let alone the minute but accumulative damages such as parking fees and servicing. So when the idea of a special edition car comes along on a regular SUV such as the facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, it's not just good. It's bloody brilliant.  

Think about a regular toy like Hello Kitty. In early 2000, McDonald's Singapore came up with limited edition Hello Kitty sets that led to massive crowds, fights and complaints. This is a country where people queue overnight, argue and fight for plush toys, so why can't the same logic apply to cars? 

Sure, the Corolla Cross Hybrid will set you back $229,888 (as of 21 August 2025), while the Extra Value Meal with a Hello Kitty toy would have set you back about $10 back in 2000, but when it comes to limited edition stuff, prices don't matter as much to Singaporeans so long as they can humble brag about them. Don't even get me started on that Omega x Swatch... 

Small but superior differences between the special edition and the regular model go a long way

It's a good move

So when Borneo Motors Singapore (BMS), authorised distributor of Toyota, decided to come up with the special edition Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid in conjunction with the company's 100^th anniversary, I thought it was quite a smart move - make a relatively unexciting but reliable car more desirable and upmarket and push it out to people.  

Customers get a 'BMS100' badge slapped on the butt of the car, a differentiated gun metal rims as well as Nappa leather seats. Best part of all? It's a free upgrade for customers who want to commemorate the special occasion. And in line with BMS' 100^th year anniversary, there are only 100 units of this special edition SUV. 

Sure, naysayers will probably argue the fact that all these small differences are pointless and aren't obvious enough, but therein lies the charm. Subtlety should and always be key. In this case, a special edition Toyota is the perfect middle finger to monotony.

You even get Nappa leather trim with the special edition model

The (horse)power of identity

On that note of subtlety, you are probably neither going to be carving corners with the Toyota SUV at South Buona Vista nor do donuts at Singapore Expo, but when you pull up at places like Dempsey and Gillman Barracks, you know your car isn't just another casual Toyota.  

See, special editions give you a sense of identity. They're like the automotive equivalent of wearing a plain shirt from Hugo Boss in a room full of Uniqlo. It's not about being needlessly loud and unnecessarily proud, it's just a simple case of IYKYK... You're still wearing clothes, of course, but you're doing it with style. And in a small place where everyone is driving the same handful of models, that little bit of differentiation goes a long way.

Everything else remain the same as the regular model, which is a good thing - making this car a highly functional one

Settle in

Look, I'm not saying the special edition facelifted Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid will give you heart palpitations like how a Ferrari 12Cilindri possibly will. I'm just saying in a place like Singapore where space is limited and speed cameras are everywhere, it's not about being fast. It's about being smart.  

And if you can do that in a car that's reliable, functional and just that wee bit more interesting than the car parked next to you, then yes, I do personally and professionally think that having special edition cars are necessary, regardless of how boring (or exciting) the car in question is.