I don’t suppose the mere addition of a new color option counts as a special edition model already, right? Who am i to talk though because evidently, that’s exactly what Buick did with the new iteration of the Cascada Sport Touring. Sure, there’s a Dark Effects package to go along with the new Sport Red paint, but that’s about all you’re going to get with this new special edition.

It’s not all that bad, though, because of the aforementioned Dark Effects package, which does add some flavor to the overall makeup of the Cascada. And, to be fair to Buick, the Sport Red actually looks good on the open-top coupe, much better at least than the True Blue finish of the previous special edition Cascada that was unveiled back in August 2016. That one didn’t look all that spectacular even for a standard model, whereas the Sport Red paint fully complements the sporty and aggressive side of the convertible.

This new special edition Cascada is all set to make its debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show before it goes official on February 1, 2017. Only 150 units will be made of this Sport Red-clad, Dark Effects packaged Buick Cascada. You don’t have to convince yourselves to get one should you be interested because if you are, there’s a good chance that there won’t be any available models left for you to decide on.

Continue after the jump to read more about the Buick Cascada Sport Touring with Dark Effects package.

What makes the Buick Cascada Sport Touring with Dark Effects Package

I understand the subjectivity of the phrase “special edition” so despite my cynicism in Buick’s decision to refer to this model in that light, I’m going to let it pass because there are some characteristics of this model that justify the label. The first one is the Sport Red body paint. I know it just looks like a really splashy shade of red paint, but seeing as Buick doesn’t offer this specific color on the standard Cascada model, I’m on board with it being treated as an exclusive color. At the very least, it deserves that billing a lot more than the Metallic True Blue body paint of previous special edition Cascada that was unveiled only three months ago. That version was simply too boring for me.

The other unique characteristic of this special edition Cascada is the Dark Effects package, which complements the Sport Touring trim of the Cascada. The highlight of that package are the gloss black finishes on various sections of the convertible; most notably on the grille, the mirror caps, and even the set of 20-inch wheels.

Even the interior gets treated to the same two-tone appearance as the body, featuring a predominantly black surface with matching red stitching on the seats, door panels, and dashboard. Once more, I can’t help but compare it to the True Blue Cascade from August 2016. That one had less options to offer since Buick limited the enhancements to a flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and its own set of 20-inch wheels.

About the only thing similar between the two special edition Cascadas are the engines, which is to say that both have a 1.6-liter, turbocharged, inline-four engine under their respective hoods, producing a total of 200 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque.

It’s still unclear how much Buick plans to price the Sport Red Cascada STs, but considering that the True Blue Cascada ST, with less upgrades, was priced at $37,990, it’s very likely that the Sport Red version will be priced a little higher on account of the inclusion of the Dark Effects package and the fact that it’s a numbered special edition.

Personally, I won’t be surprised if the price tag reaches $40,000, which would immediately make it a notch more expensive than base versions of the Audi A3 cabriolet and the BMW 230i convertible. The question now is: would you go for the special edition Buick Cascada or just head in the direction of its German rivals?