Gulf, Martini, JPS. Motorsport has loads of nice liveries and essentially the most well-known are normally present in Method 1 or at Le Mans, however touring automotive racing additionally has loads of iconic color schemes.
We’ve been compiling numerous British Touring Automotive prime 10s in latest weeks and now it’s the flip of the best liveries which have appeared within the championship because it started in 1958.
After all, that is much more subjective than our standard rankings, so apologies upfront in case your favorite hasn’t made the reduce. Hopefully you’ll nonetheless like a few of our 10.
One key level is that the liveries chosen should have appeared within the BTCC for an affordable size of time. We’re not one-offs (a distinct record?! – ed) or legendary schemes that sometimes dipped in. So which means no Texaco black-and-red, as appeared on the Eggenberger Ford Sierra RS500s on their uncommon raids in 1988…
10. Triple Eight/VX Racing
Key automobiles: Vauxhall Vectra (Tremendous Touring and S2000), Vauxhall Astra Coupe, Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch
The pink and white of Triple Eight wasn’t the perfect but it surely was very profitable
Picture by: Kevin Wooden / Motorsport Images
It’s not essentially the most lovely entry on this record, however the red-and-white of the Triple Eight Vauxhall workforce turned an intrinsic a part of the BTCC. It’s related to unimaginable ranges of success, too, which earns it some bonus factors.
Like a number of entries right here, this covers quite a lot of comparable schemes over a big time frame. Triple Eight’s Tremendous Touring Vectras, which arrived in 1997, had a barely completely different look every year earlier than the pink nostril, white center and pink rear turned acquainted on the entrance because the BTC-T Astra Coupe dominated in 2001-04, taking 4 consecutive title doubles.
A tad extra black had arrived in 2004, which was carried over to the awkward Astra Sport Hatch the next 12 months. In 2006, Vacation Inn sponsorship and inexperienced was added, which continued on the brand new S2000 Vectra that Fabrizio Giovanardi took to the 2007 crown.
The Vectras returned to primarily pink and white for Giovanardi’s profitable title defence and the neater livery loved yet one more season on the entrance earlier than Vauxhall withdrew from the BTCC on the finish of 2009. However, with six drivers’ titles in simply over a decade, it had made its mark.
9. BMW/Fina
Key automobiles: BMW 318i and 320i
The predominately white livery stood out but it surely was the smaller particulars that make this a favorite
Picture by: Motorsport Images
Predominantly white racing automobiles don’t usually make an inventory like this. The Le Mans-winning Martini Porsches are a uncommon exception, and so is the long-time BMW manufacturing unit look.
The white with splashes of blue and pink return to the earliest days of BMW Motorsport and, with Mobil sponsorship, featured on the Prodrive-run M3 taken to the BTCC title by Frank Sytner in 1988.
Prime 10: BMW Motorsport racers
For this record we’ve gone for the assorted Fina-backed variations of the Tremendous Touring period. Run by Schnitzer and with Warsteiner plastered on the bonnet, the E36-shape 318i was the automotive to have in 1993 and took the title with Jo Winkelhock.
There have been element adjustments over the following three years previous to BMW’s withdrawal, each to the livery itself and the automobiles because the rear-wheel-driver challenger sprouted wings.
Regardless of extra victories, BMW didn’t handle one other title within the aggressive interval, however did present a particular look. And we’re positively not swayed by the truth that the BMWs wore Autosport stickers for a number of the interval (and we didn’t just like the 1995 GoldenEye stickers)…
8. Wiggins Teape
Key automobiles: Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Capri
A childhood favorite for this author
This author had a poster of a Wiggins Teape-liveried Chevrolet Camaro on the bed room wall as a toddler and the livery nonetheless seems to be nice.
SCA European Street Providers and Brut 33 had been contenders for this record and likewise adorned Camaros, however the predominantly darkish blue of the {old} paper-making agency wins out.
It was profitable, too. Brian Muir ran Wiggins Teape on his race-winning Malcolm Gartlan Racing Camaro in 1970-71, taking the category title and second total within the later 12 months.
He then switched to a Ford Capri RS2600 for 1972. He received two extra races and was usually the closest challenger to Frank Gardner’s SCA Camaro, on tempo if not reliability.
7. Vendor Staff Vauxhall
Key automotive: Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300
Vendor Staff Vauxhall had a comparatively fleeting run within the collection
Picture by: LAT Photographic
A wierd inclusion, maybe, as a result of the silver, inexperienced and pink of DTV that turned so well-known within the Seventies featured rather more closely in Particular/Tremendous Saloons and rallying. However, quite like lead driver Gerry Marshall is commonly regarded as an enormous British Saloon Automotive determine regardless of comparatively few appearances, it made its mark. And it seems to be fairly cool.
Already a well known squad, DTV’s Marshall and ace engineer Invoice Blydenstein turned their consideration to the championship in 1976. The Firenza Magnum was instantly a pressure within the 1601-2300cc pack, Marshall sweeping to the category crown and third within the total standings.
Issues had been more durable in 1977. Tony Dron’s Triumph Dolomite was too fast in Class C and took the two.3-litre crown, whereas Marshall additionally confronted stern opposition from Jeff Allam’s Vauxhall.
PLUS: The forgotten tin-top great that battled the Capris
Marshall joined the Ford Capri ranks for 1978, whereas DTV switched its focus to rallying and the Chevette.
6. Halfords Honda
Key automotive: Honda Civic
There’s been loads of iterations of the Halfords orange and black design however 2016 stands out
Picture by: Jakob Ebrey
The distinctive orange of Halfords initially appeared on Peugeots within the BTCC however turned synonymous with Staff Dynamics Hondas. First seen on a Civic in 2004, Halfords adorned the Integra Sort Rs that Matt Neal took to consecutive titles in 2005-06.
The colors remained close to the entrance as Dynamics switched to the eighth-generation Civic from 2007.
Neal and Gordon Shedden then scored titles with white-and-red, Yuasa-liveried Civics in 2011, 2012 and 2015. That scheme, which additionally featured on the hanging Civic Tourer property, was one other candidate for this record, however a black-and-orange Halfords livery returned in 2016.
Shedden took his third BTCC crown that season with what was arguably an much more hanging machine than the orange Integras. He and Neal received races within the automotive once more in 2017, and the brand new FK8 Civic that Neal used to take victory within the particular BTCC sixtieth anniversary race in 2018 had an identical look.
Dan Cammish narrowly failed to attain a fourth ‘Halfords Honda’ drivers’ crown on the Manufacturers Hatch finale in 2019 and the motoring providers firm continued to help Dynamics till the top of 2022.
5. Kaliber
Key automobiles: Ford Sierra RS500, Toyota Carina
Kaliber actually stood out from the pack
Maybe the Industrial Management Providers colors that Andy Rouse’s automobiles wore for a lot of the Eighties and three BTCC titles ought to take this slot, however we reckon his comparable Kaliber scheme is that bit extra iconic.
The low-alcohol lager appeared on the Ford Sierra RS500s of Rouse and team-mate Man Edwards in 1988, simply because the BTCC actually began to realize traction on TV.
Though Rouse misplaced out to Class B dominator Sytner for the general crown, he was the pacesetter on the entrance. He received 9 of the 12 rounds and was additionally concerned in a number of the most well-known tin-top dices in opposition to the Texaco-backed Eggenberger-run works RS500s on their uncommon appearances.
The next 12 months, the Kaliber Ford driver fought a tricky, season-long marketing campaign with the Trakstar instance of Robb Gravett. After an unlucky begin to the season, Rouse fought again to grab the category crown at a controversial Silverstone finale, scoring six victories to Gravett’s 4.
The ICS colors returned to the Rouse RS500s for 1990 and appeared nice, however Gravett was now on prime and took the general title. Kaliber and ICS then appeared collectively on the Toyota Carina Rouse used to win three races in 1991.
An honourable point out right here to the Labatt’s blue sported by, amongst others, Tim Harvey’s Rouse-prepared RS500 in 1989-90 and his 1991 Vic Lee Motorsport BMW M3.
4. 100+ Wheels/Dynamics
Key automobiles: BMW 318, Ford Mondeo, Nissan Primera
100+ Wheels was eye-catching and profitable with Neal within the Nineties
Picture by: Gavin Lawrence
Earlier than they had been main gamers for total success, Neal and the household Staff Dynamics squad was a prime impartial contender within the Nineties.
Aesthetically, we just like the black-and-silver 100+ Wheels livery that Neal’s BMW M3 wore in 1992, but it surely’s the next numerous pink variations which might be significantly better recognized.
The pink 100+ Wheels first appeared on his BMW 318 in 1993 and returned, with extra white, on Neal’s Ford Mondeo in 1995. Neal was Independents’ champion each years.
Neal switched to his first Nissan Primera throughout 1997 and in 1999 he acquired his arms on the 1998 model. The automotive misplaced the 100+ Wheels stickers, however the livery stayed ostensibly the identical, so we’re together with it right here.
It appeared good on each automotive, however the Primera was maybe the best-known wearer of the colors. It was on this type that Neal took his well-known £250,000 win as a privateer in opposition to the works groups at Donington Park. He additionally took two extra class titles within the Primera.
All that’s vital as a result of the manufacturing unit Vodafone scheme that received races in 1997-98 and dominated in 1999 was one other candidate for this record. However it wasn’t the Primera’s greatest livery, nor was it essentially the most iconic of the Tremendous Touring period – that’s greater up this 10…
3. Alan Mann Racing
Key automobiles: Ford Falcon, Ford Lotus Cortina, Ford Escort
Alan Mann Racing’s red-and-gold look will be thought of the perfect look of the Sixties
Picture by: LAT Photographic
Alan Mann Racing was one of many prime touring automotive (and sportscar) outfits of the Sixties and had a robust relationship with Ford. In BTCC phrases, it ready the Mustang through which Roy Pierpoint took the 1965 crown, but it surely was with Frank Gardner that it actually made a mark within the championship.
Gardner’s Falcon, resplendent in Alan Mann’s red-and-gold livery, thumped the opposition in 1967, the five-litre supercharged V8 machine scoring seven wins.
Ford insisted on a swap to the Escort for 1968 however the Twin Cam wasn’t prepared for the beginning of the season, so Gardner raced a Lotus Cortina. As soon as the Escort was out there, Gardner dominated the 2000cc class and even took a few outright wins in opposition to the V8s at Manufacturers Hatch.
It’s the Escort that most likely will get the livery this excessive, offering one of many iconic sights of the late-Sixties. Gardner received the general crown in 1968 and likewise topped the large class – the Escort now supercharged – the next 12 months.
2. Pirtek
Key automobiles: Vauxhall Vectra, Honda Civic, MG6, Ford Focus, BMW 125i M Sport, BMW 330i M Sport
The Pirtek livery appeared nice on each automotive it coated
Picture by: Jakob Ebrey/LAT Pictures
Some liveries simply look good on every part. That’s true of the Pirtek colors that adorned, amongst different motorsport campaigns, Andrew Jordan’s numerous BTCC machines all through the 2010s.
The largely blue scheme of the hydraulic and industrial hose supplier appeared on Jordan’s household run Eurotech Racing Vauxhall Vectra in 2010-11 however actually turned synonymous with the workforce and collection on the NGTC Honda Civic.
Jordan turned a thorn within the aspect of the manufacturing unit Hondas in 2012 and scooped the general crown the next 12 months. He was a race winner in 2014, however a Snetterton crash knocked the wind out of his title problem.
Jordan took Pirtek to the Triple Eight MG squad in 2015, then to the Motorbase Ford Focus the next 12 months earlier than touchdown at West Surrey Racing in 2017.
Each the metallic and blue-yellow variations appeared nice on the 125i M Sport and Jordan virtually scored a second title within the 330i M Sport in 2019. Had been these BMW liveries Pirtek at its greatest? Maybe, but it surely was on the flanks of the Civic that it made its largest influence.
1. 1996-97 Williams Renault
Key automotive: Renault Laguna
The 1997 Laguna was the good automotive, pushed by one of many best drivers within the BTCC’s greatest period
Picture by: Motorsport Images
Renault’s authentic Laguna was one of many best-looking tin-tops of the Nineties. The blue entrance/yellow rear livery of 1995 appeared nice but it surely’s the reversed effort that arrived the next 12 months that makes it onto this record.
That’s most likely partly as a result of success usually subconsciously makes us assume issues look higher. And the yellow-blue Laguna was profitable.
Alain Menu took second within the 1996 standings behind the rampant four-wheel-drive Audi A4 of Frank Biela, however the Williams-built Laguna was unstoppable in 1997. Menu swept to the crown with 12 wins from 24 races, with rookie team-mate Jason Plato choosing up a brace.
The 1998 Laguna appeared fairly good within the inexperienced of Nescafe Mix 37 however didn’t have the influence or success of its predecessor.
An honourable point out goes to the Speedy Match Ford Mondeo 1999-2000 however there’s solely area for one yellow-and-blue Tremendous Touring livery right here. The 1997 Laguna was the good automotive, pushed by the interval’s best driver, in the course of the championship’s all-time excessive level and concerned a legendary F1 workforce – it genuinely is a BTCC icon.
Do you agree with this prime 10?
Picture by: Motorsport Images