Crossword Genius

Exotic vehicle happening to follow special ones (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

spaceship

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'exotic vehicle' is the definition.
'spaceship' can be an answer for 'vehicle' (spaceship is a kind of vehicle). I am not sure about the 'exotic' bit.

'happening to follow special ones' is the wordplay.
'happening' becomes 'hip' (both can mean cool or fashionable).
'to follow' means one lot of letters go next to another (some letters go after or follow others).
'special' becomes 'sp' (abbreviation).
'ones' becomes 'aces' ('ace' can be a synonym of 'one').
'sp'+'aces'='spaces'
'hip' after 'spaces' is 'SPACESHIP'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for spaceship that I've seen before include "craft going far?" , "long-distance traveller?" , "Challenger possibly" , "Interplanetary craft" , "Transport that's out of this world" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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