69 replies to this topic

[Mansell4PM]

Apologies if this (or a similar) topic has already been posted before - I carried out a search, but ...

A friend of mine has recently purchased a well used Honda Civic with 'Jordan' decals. To me it's a bright yellow Civic, but he has convinced himself that it's something a bit special.

What other road cars have been produced with branding/ badging (deserved or otherwise) related to racing teams?

From those available in the UK, I can think of Rover's 200 BRM, the Brabham Viva, the Clio Williams, and of course the Mini Cooper.

I am, of course, not thinking of including the 'everyday' products of manufacturer teams in racing, such as Toyotas, Renaults, Hondas, etc.

[garyfrogeye]

JPS Lotus

[swintex]

Gold Leaf Elans

[swintex]

Essex Esprit.

Hang on, there's a theme developing here!

Richard

[Mansell4PM]

JPS Lotus

Doh!

I have seen at various car shows JPS liveried Esprits, Europas, and an Eclat. How these slipped my mind when I was starting this thread I don't know.

Now I come to think of it I have also seen a JPS liveried Mk. II Ford Capri as well.

[kayemod]

Lotus Cortina, Lotus Sunbeam...

[Twin Window]

Iso Marlboro (Rivolta Lele)

[kayemod]

And of course, the amazing Lotus Carlton.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Penske BMW Mini

[Lifew12]

Penske BMW Mini

Really? Learn something new every day!

[Lee Nicolle]

Brabham HB Torana/Viva

[kayemod]

Really? Learn something new every day!

And here's another one, I bet you've never heard of the Lifew12 City Rover?

[D-Type]

We have four different species here:
(a) Production cars with a "racing" brand - Mini-Cooper, etc
(b) Production car with a racing team colour scheme - "Gold Leaf" and "JPS" liveried Lotus Elans and Europas
(c ) Cars belonging to teams and painted in team colours for publicity purposes - there was a thread recently about "Essex" liveried Lotus and other cars
(d) Cars painted up in team colours by a fan

The Jordan decalled Honda could be a (c ) or a (d). I think your friend hopes it is a (c )

Edited by D-Type, 15 April 2010 - 11:41.

[Twin Window]

(d) Cars painted up in team colours by a fan

Which definitely don't count!

[tyrrellp346wheels]

The TWR Jaguar XJS

[Mansell4PM]

We have four different species here:
(a) Production cars with a "racing" brand - Mini-Cooper, etc
(b) Production car with a racing team colour scheme - "Gold Leaf" and "JPS" liveried lotus elans nd Europas
© Cars belonging to teams and painted in team colours for publicity purposes - there was a thread recently about "Essex" liveried Lotus and other cars
(d) Cars painted up in team colours by a fan

The Jordan decalled honda could be a © or a (d0. I think your friend hopes it is a ©

The Civics were official Honda 'special editions', available for a few months to tie-in with the Jordan Mugen-Hondas of the time.

As for cars with a racing team colour scheme, did Graham Hill not have the use of a special bodied Aston DBS in Embassy colours for a short while? IIRC the car had strange brake lights that had more bulbs light up/ bulbs that got brighter, the harder the brakes were applied? I think it was an Ogle design study, and I think I've read somewhere that two were made (though I could be wrong about that).

And I'm veering off my own topic there.

[kayemod]

We have four different species here:
(a) Production cars with a "racing" brand - Mini-Cooper, etc
(b) Production car with a racing team colour scheme - "Gold Leaf" and "JPS" liveried lotus elans nd Europas
© Cars belonging to teams and painted in team colours for publicity purposes - there was a thread recently about "Essex" liveried Lotus and other cars
(d) Cars painted up in team colours by a fan

The Jordan decalled honda could be a © or a (d0. I think your friend hopes it is a ©

Some fit into more than one of your categories of course. I live quite near a Honda dealer, and I can remember a bright yellow Jordan Civic appearing in their showroom, so it was at least a limited edition, though I don't think that the mods went any further than the paint and possibly interior. Did they come with a removable hairpiece on the roof?

From memory, all Lotus Carltons (I wonder why they didn't call it the 'East Carleton') came in a dark metallic green, though a few years ago, someone who lived nearby had his painted in JPS black with gold striping. It looked pretty startling on such a large car, a bit 'de trop' for my taste.

Slightly more tasteful was an Audi 80 Sport limited edition that I bought in 1983, it replaced a slightly troublesome Mk1 Golf GTi, and it was a great car, slightly faster than the Golf once it was rolling, and great to drive. The Audi dealer told me that VAG decided to race this car (with Sir Stirling and others), because the engine/transmission arrangement was worth about 10bhp over a transverse-engined Golf, and that's what it felt like. You could order them in white, silver or black, and they carried AudiSport stripes down each side, just like the production saloon racers, with see-through decals on the rear side windows.

[Simon Arron]

In 1995 a limited-edition Ford Escort Cosworth was produced in Footwork Arrows colours. Livery apart, the cars differed from standard by a few detais - Enkei wheels, if memory serves, and some other stuff. I was part of a media group invited to Boreham to try one. Footwork drivers Max Papis and the great Taki Inoue were present to demonstrate the beast, before we took over, but one of them struggled to perform the pre-arranged gyrobatics.

Clue: it wasn't Max....

Edited by Simon Arron, 13 April 2010 - 12:44.

[alansart]

© Cars belonging to teams and painted in team colours for publicity purposes - there was a thread recently about "Essex" liveried Lotus and other cars

Graham Hill's Embassy Ogle

[lanciaman]

Every year the maker orf the Indianapolis 500 pace car(s) provides between 33 and 50 "pace cars" for use during race month activities. These tarted-up cars are sold following the race and their owners sometimes seek a premium price by describing them as Indianapolis 500 pace cars. They are completely ordinary except for the paint (one of the worst in recent memory being a purple Corvette with bright yellow wheels and hideous graphics).

There are two bona fide pace cars built for the 500 race. I once had use of a real deal Indy 500 pace car for a couple weeks, the Hurst Oldsmobile 442. I was PR director for Indianapolis Raceway Park and borrowed the car to use for pacing our USAC champ car event. I took some hot laps of IRP in this car and was emormously impressed with its performance. (I was of course aware that life as I knew it would end if I bent the car.) Being accustomed to racing my MGA at IRP, I would have been impressed by almost anything with vast amounts of torque, great brakes, no body lean and sufficient power to get in trouble.

[Lifew12]

And here's another one, I bet you've never heard of the Lifew12 City Rover?

I want one!

[Mansell4PM]

Not sure if this counts:



Presumably it's Lotus badged.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Does the Prodrive P2 count

http://www.autotrade...2_3_800x600.jpg

[Hamish Robson]

@ Simon Arron - Never knew about the Escort in Footwork colours. Anyone got any pictures?

Mazda did a 1st-series MX5 "Le Mans" in the same colour-scheme as their Le Mans winner - green and orange diamond pattern with white dotted lines.

Ford also produced a 4WD crew-cab pick-up (no idea of the model name, the type used by tradesmen etc) fully decked out in the Martini stripes a la Focus WRC.

Toyota did a dealer special Corolla (around 1998), in either blue or white, with WRC-style decals. A friend's girlfriend had one, then removed the stripes as she didn't like them...


There have been many motorbike replicas - whoops, wrong forum.

[Patrick Fletcher]

In 1995 a limited-edition Ford Escort Cosworth was produced in Footwork Arrows colours. Livery apart, the cars differed from standard by a few detais - Enkei wheels, if memory serves, and some other stuff. I was part of a media group invited to Boreham to try one. Footwork drivers Max Papis and the great Taki Inoue were present to demonstrate the beast, before we took over, but one of them struggled to perform the pre-arranged gyrobatics.

Clue: it wasn't Max....

I had a Toyota Corona AMON in the late 1980's - a real goer, could beat most repmobiles in its day. Keir would have loved one!

[Mansell4PM]

It's probably best to exclude 'home made' liveries, as I fear something like this will just keep popping up:

http://images.google...h...&tbs=isch:1

[Arjan de Roos]

@ Simon Arron - Never knew about the Escort in Footwork colours. Anyone got any pictures?

In Japan I saw a few Footwork vans ;-)

Mazda did a 1st-series MX5 "Le Mans" in the same colour-scheme as their Le Mans winner - green and orange diamond pattern with white dotted lines.

24 cars to be exact.

May we include category (e) Motorbike with car brands.... FIAT on Yamaha

Edited by Arjan de Roos, 13 April 2010 - 13:18.

[Spitfire]

Porsche Martini edition 924

[Tim Murray]

As for cars with a racing team colour scheme, did Graham Hill not have the use of a special bodied Aston DBS in Embassy colours for a short while? IIRC the car had strange brake lights that had more bulbs light up/ bulbs that got brighter, the harder the brakes were applied? I think it was an Ogle design study, and I think I've read somewhere that two were made (though I could be wrong about that).

More details (including photos of the rear light arrangement) here:

http://www.astonmart.../dbsv8_ogle.htm

[Hamish Robson]

Porsche Martini edition 924

Also Porsche 911 (Turbo?) Martini edition

[Mansell4PM]

Also Porsche 911 (Turbo?) Martini edition

Continuing this particular theme, Lancia also produced Martini striped editions of the Delta:

http://www.flickr.co...N08/2163298668/

Ford added the stripes to a few vehicles too. Here's just one instance:

http://fordtransit.o...hp?f=27&t=22573

[Stephen W]

(d) Cars painted up in team colours by a fan

There are several Lotus single seaters painted in JPS and Gold Leaf colours that never ran in that livery 'in period'.

Then there is the Black & Silver Talbot Sunbeam Lotus cars.

[PAUL S]

@ Simon Arron - Never knew about the Escort in Footwork colours. Anyone got any pictures?

Mazda did a 1st-series MX5 "Le Mans" in the same colour-scheme as their Le Mans winner - green and orange diamond pattern with white dotted lines.

Ford also produced a 4WD crew-cab pick-up (no idea of the model name, the type used by tradesmen etc) fully decked out in the Martini stripes a la Focus WRC.

Toyota did a dealer special Corolla (around 1998), in either blue or white, with WRC-style decals. A friend's girlfriend had one, then removed the stripes as she didn't like them...


There have been many motorbike replicas - whoops, wrong forum.

The arrows escort cars were produced by Brooklyn Ford, and most went to Japan. A few have started to appear in Australia as they tend to get shipped over with the other Jap imports there.

Another Cosworth example is the Rouse 302 and 304, about 80 odd were made, mostly based on the 4x4 saff, though a few were 2wd and one was built around a 3dr.

There is also a 3dr cosworth press car from the Rouse camp originally built up in the race 500 colours, it was sold recently and now back up for sale again.

Last ones are the Monte and Martini edition escort cosworths and a one off Acropolis version in yellow which Ford still own.

[Alan Cox]

Not a team livery, but didn't Fiat do Fiat Seicento and Stilo in a livery tied in with the German multi-world championship winner?

[turin]

how about the Renault Clio Williams

[Giraffe]

how about the Renault Clio Williams

See post #1.....

[kayemod]

how about the Renault Clio Williams

How about reading the very first post in this thread?

[Giraffe]

How about reading the very first post in this thread?

....and that too!

[f1steveuk]

I recall that you could buy the Mugen Jordan Civic on it's own, or as a matched pair with a 600 Hornet in matching colours (complete with Ltd Edition number serial plate ), but you couldn't buy just the bike, which I thought sucked hughly!!! Funnily enough I know someone who brought the matched pair, but couldn't ride a bike. The car went years ago (actually finished up on it's roof), and the bike is still in his garage, whereas it should actually be in mine!!!

And so, if bikes are to included, where does the Hesketh Vampire fit in?

[Formula Once]

Not team, but driver related: Niki Lauda Alfa Spider (1978-ish)

[René de Boer]

Ford also had a Stewart edition of its Escort at the time Jackie Stewart ran its Stewart GP team, and I remember a Sauber-edition of the Escort in Germany when Sauber used Ford engines, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen featuring in the sales brochure.

When the Zakspeed team had Mercedes C-Class cars in the DTM sponsored by Promarkt (1993/1994), they ran in a bright yellow colour, and all Promarkt's district managers in Germany had matching company cars with the same livery - I think there were some 200 cars like that on the road.

And I have a brochure of the Alfa 155 Silverstone in my collection, the car that was used as a homologation special to run special aerodynamic applications on the Alfas raced by Gabriele Tarquini and Giampiero Simoni in the 1994 BTCC.

BMW had a "Johnny Cecotto Edition" of its M3 Sport Evolution in 1989, sold as "Roberto Ravaglia Edition" in Italy.

[stuartbrs]

BMW had a "Johnny Cecotto Edition" of its M3 Sport Evolution in 1989, sold as "Roberto Ravaglia Edition" in Italy.

In the early 80`s there were JPS BMW`s in Australia. I think they were from Frank Gardeners team. There was one down the road from me when I was a kid, it looked cool.

[Frank S]

For eleven grand you get the graphics and most of the road-holding and braking; for twenty-five you get a supercharger. You must supply your own base model V6 version. They don't do convertibles.

TRT specials

[Frank S]

Porsche Martini edition 924

The only Porsche I was ever tempted to buy.

[Twin Window]

BMW had a "Johnny Cecotto Edition" of its M3 Sport Evolution...

I know of at least one TNFer who owns such a car

[Formula Once]

There were Racing for Holland badged Jags (X-type) for sale in Holland in 2002/3

[Thundersports]

Not a team livery, but didn't Fiat do Fiat Seicento and Stilo in a livery tied in with the German multi-world championship winner?

Yes definently a Seicento they were in Yellow I had the dubious of pleasure of coming "involved" with one of these last week.

Edited by Thundersport, 13 April 2010 - 23:10.

[kayemod]

QUOTE (René de Boer @ Apr 13 2010, 22:13) *
BMW had a "Johnny Cecotto Edition" of its M3 Sport Evolution in 1989, sold as "Roberto Ravaglia Edition" in Italy.


Several years ago I had an E30 M3 owning friend, he let me have a go in his Ravaglia special edition, and the smile only wore off fairly recently. I don't know how accurate all this is, though it ties in with what little I know, but having paid list for the car new from a UK dealer, he should have known, he told me that there were about 500 Cecotto M3s sold over mainland Europe, with mainly small cosmetic changes over the standard 215hp Evo 2, a numbered plaque in the glovebox, that kind of thing. The UK market was allocated 25 from this total, but here all were re-badged as Ravaglias, no other significant changes. That's the basic facts (I think), if it's a Ravaglia it was originally sold in the UK, and if it's a Cecotto, it was originally sold in France/Germany/Italy etc. However, with these cars, in fact all E30 M3s being so scarce and sought after, they were exported/re-exported all over the place, so a significant number of Cecottos ended up in the UK where they were never officially sold as such, and there are probably one or two Ravaglias around outside this country. Someone else I know was trying to do a deal on an 1990 M3 somewhere in southern Ireland, apparently a genuine unspoiled car with only a few thousand miles on the clock. It had originally been exported new from Germany to Japan, then re-exported to the US, but hardly used in either country, and then sold to Ireland where it spent several years in storage. I'll have to get in touch again to find out how things are progressing, but last I heard the car must have had almost as many air miles as road miles, and the Irish seller had some fantasy notion of the car's value, they were still haggling, but several £££ thousand apart.

[Arjan de Roos]

What other road cars have been produced with branding/ badging (deserved or otherwise) related to racing teams?

Shouldn't we have mentioned: Scuderia Ferrari...

Edited by Arjan de Roos, 14 April 2010 - 14:13.

[Mansell4PM]

Shouldn't we have mentioned: Scuderia Ferrari...

I was thinking more of special/limited editions of road cars, cashing in on racing success - not the standard models from those manufacturers who both go racing and produce road cars. I know some Ferraris are no doubt rarer than some of these 'special editions', but ....

After all, if we go down that route the end result might be photos of Matra Ranchos being posted here.