The 10 Best Cars With Weird Brand Tie-Ins
Brand collaborations in the car world have taken some odd turns. Sometimes automakers want a touch of luxury or pop culture cachet, so they call in fashion houses, musicians, or even beverage companies. The results don’t always make sense, but that’s part of the fun. These were full-on identity swaps, the kind that make you stop and think, “Wait, that was real?”
Ford Super Duty Carhartt Edition
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Instead of chasing high fashion, Ford teamed up with workwear brand Carhartt for a truck built with utility in mind. The 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Edition features wheels styled after Detroit manhole covers and design cues borrowed directly from the brand’s flagship store. Ford designers visited the actual Carhartt storefront to find visual inspiration.
Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition
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Ford’s collaboration with outdoor brand Eddie Bauer lasted nearly three decades. Starting in 1983, these special edition SUVs featured distinct two-tone paint, branded badging, and leather interiors with outdoor-ready accents. Buyers also got utility touches, like roof racks and upgraded suspensions.
BMW Z3 Neiman Marcus James Bond Edition
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When GoldenEye hit theaters in 1995, BMW and Neiman Marcus teamed up to release a special “James Bond Edition” Z3. Only 50 were offered initially—styled just like Bond’s—but demand was so strong that BMW made 50 more.
AMC Gremlin Levi’s Edition
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This one leaned hard into the 1970s denim trend. AMC gave its Gremlin a Levi’s-branded interior featuring faux-denim upholstery with copper rivets and jean-style stitching. Even the door panels came with little Levi’s tags. Fire codes blocked them from using real denim, so AMC developed a nylon substitute that looked the part.
Volkswagen Golf Bon Jovi Edition
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In the 1990s, Volkswagen released several music-themed Golf editions tied to European concert tours. One version carried Bon Jovi’s name, with upgraded speakers and seat fabric marked with tour branding. The promotion passed quickly, but the cars did not vanish entirely. From time to time, a Bon Jovi Golf appears in classifieds, remembered less as a collectible and more as a very specific snapshot of 1990s pop culture.
Hyundai Kona Iron Man Edition
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Marvel fans who couldn’t spring for Tony Stark’s Audi R8 had another option: Hyundai’s Iron Man-themed Kona. This limited-run version arrived in 2018 with special red-and-gray paint and interior touches drawn from the comic book armor. It wasn’t just for display, either. Customers could actually buy it, though quantities were tight.
Chrysler Imperial Frank Sinatra Edition
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In 1981, Chrysler gave its newly redesigned Imperial the full Sinatra treatment. Buyers got Glacier Blue paint to match the singer’s eyes, “fs” badging, and a center console loaded with Sinatra cassette tapes. Only 278 were sold. Despite a television commercial featuring the man himself, the limited edition flopped.
Subaru Outback L.L. Bean Edition
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Subaru gave the Outback a subtle upgrade when it teamed up with L.L. Bean in the early 2000s. The edition featured a 3.0-liter flat-six engine, cream-colored leather interiors, and unique badging. Buyers also received L.L. Bean-branded extras, like luggage. It stayed close to the brand’s image of a practical outdoor lifestyle.
Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition
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Ford and Harley-Davidson joined forces several times, but their most attention-grabbing moment came at the 2000 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition debuted with biker-jacket-inspired seats and special badging. These trucks didn’t come with a bike, but the style cues—especially the leather touches—carried enough swagger to park next to a chopper without looking out of place.
Bugatti La Bouteille Noire by Champagne Carbon
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The two brands designed a one-of-a-kind, 15-liter bottle housed in a carbon-fiber shell modeled after the Bugatti La Voiture Noire. It even included a functioning light system. The bottle reportedly sold to a private collector and now stands as one of the more luxurious automotive spinoffs ever created.