Replying to Salomon 420's

So when I was down in Cali this break, I helped my aunt shop for my cousin. We go to a Sports Authority... and in the back with all the shitty rental skis, they have 4 pairs of Salomon 420's. They look like the second generation 1080's, the first year they did the whole spaceframe thing. Has the silver topsheet, just like the 171's did, but the bases are completely black. They even have the "420" where it should say 1080.  Whats the deal with these, anyone know? Prototypes?