We take a look at some of the most iconic vehicle graphic designs featured in automotive sports in the last 50+ years.
1. Gulf Ford GT40s
The original gulf branded sports car featured in a navy blue and orange mirroring the corporate identity and raced by Gulf VP Grady Davis at Daytona and Sebring in 1967. The winner of 1968 & 1969 Le Mans featured the now familiar powder blue and orange at the request of Davis after acquiring Wilshire Oil and whose logo featured the distinctive powder blue, he thought the lighter blue would make the car more exciting, well it certainly does, the powerful colour pallet was different from any other livery around that time and was easily recognisable for its distinctive colours.
2. Martini Porsche 937
The first martini logo graphics were applied on the Porsche 910 in 1968. During the 1970 Martini became famous with Porsche and since then demonstrated how to create an eye-catching racing vehicle design simply using lines that bend, curve and twist with the body of the racing vehicle – complimenting at every angle.
3. Marlboro McLaren F1
Easily the most recognisable team livery between 1974 and 1996 hardly differing from the original design throughout this period. Simple yet easily recognisable mirroring the Marlboro cigarette pack design elements.
4. Castrol Toyota Celica GT-Four (st205)
Making its world Rally Championship debut in 1988 with its first victory in Australia in 1989. Taking WRC by storm with the first AWD turbocharged car took many wins. The striking green and red Castrol vehicle graphics paved the way for decades with refined graphics styling without losing sight of where it all began.
5. BMW E30 M3
Roaring out of the pits in 1987 the M3 secured the World, Australian, European and German Touring Car Championship in its first season. The M3 was that impressive as a raw piece of machinery it didn’t even need a turbo to boost performance. So how can an already impressive car wow you with its good looks as well as what’s under the bonnet… Well, with natural beauty of course… The simple yet effective white graphics design represents the M stripes of the logo consisting of Blue - which represents BMW, Red - representing Motorsport and Purple (the centre stripe) representing the synergy between the blue and red. Over the years the M logo has undergone some slight changes and the then purple is now a dark blue as we know it today.
For me it has to be the BMW M3 design, a timeless classic!
So, which is your favourite? One of the above or something entirely different? Post your favourite vehicle graphic design on our Facebook post (Click here)
Bookmark our blog page for part 2 where we look at more vehicle graphics in the racing world.
