Autoblog

Health Canada clamps down on Targa Newfoundland over collectable Marlboro suit

Zach Bowman — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising

We're sure you remember Zahir Rana, the gentleman who piloted a Ferrari Enzo into the Atlantic Ocean during last year's Targa Newfoundland. When the gentleman took his co-pilot and his car for a swim, he happened to be wearing a racing suit once worn by Rubens Barrichello. Back when the Formula One racer drove for Ferrari, the team was sponsored by Marlboro, which meant the cigarette company's logo was plastered all over the the suit. As it turns out, Health Canada takes a dim view of tobacco advertising during any racing event, and despite the fact that Rana had bought the signed suit at a charity auction as a piece of racing history, the government agency took offense to photos from the race depicting Rana in full Marlboro regalia.

According to Wheels.ca, Targa President Bob Giannou found himself on the raw end of phone calls and letters from Health Canada, informing him of "prohibitions regarding the promotion of tobacco products," even if the reference is historical.

Does that mean Canadian officials are going to block the public appearance of the hordes of vintage race cars sponsored by the likes of Rothmans, Marlboro, John Player Special, Camel, Lucky Strike, Kool and Skoal just to name a few? Like it or not, tobacco and racing have a long and storied history together, and attempting to censor that history from the public eye is downright foolish. Good luck, Health Canada.

Health Canada clamps down on Targa Newfoundland over collectable Marlboro suit originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus custom channels the Esprit of Ayrton Senna

Noah Joseph — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Lotus

These days it seems like the dream of a new Lotus Esprit is getting nothing but further away, while the troubled company responsible for it applies the classic black and gold livery to everything it produces - and many things produced by others. But there was a time when the original Esprit was a mechanical wonder to behold, and the JPS livery was championed by arguably the greatest driver who ever lived.

That driver, of course, was Ayrton Senna. And to mark the 18th anniversary of his death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, a German outfit called Cam-Shaft Premium Wrapping has created this special edition in his honor. Instead of starting with the original four-cylinder Esprit, though, Cam Shaft went with the later turbo V8 and laid over its black paint a series of gold decals evocative of the iconic livery which Senna sported on his 1985 Lotus 97T, including a reproduction of his signature on the panel in front of the door.

The German firm didn't stop there, however. They gave the Esprit new turbos, an intercooler and cats to drive output up from 354 horsepower (stock) to 492 hp, drop the 4.9-second 0-62 time down to 4.3 seconds and increase the top speed from 282 km/h to 305. They also fitted it with a new six-speed gearbox to replace the old five-gear unit, upgraded the brakes with AP Racing four-pot calipers on 330mm cross-drilled discs and fitted it with a chassis control switch similar to a Ferrari manettino.

A fitting tribute to the legendary pilot? We'd say so, and you can see for yourself in the high-res image gallery above and the press release below.

Continue reading Lotus custom channels the Esprit of Ayrton Senna

Lotus custom channels the Esprit of Ayrton Senna originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2012 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Lotus flashes the black and gold with new racing cars

Noah Joseph — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Geneva Motor Show, Lotus, Racing

2011 Lotus Renault GP R31 and Evora GT4 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Picking a color scheme for a race car is usually a straightforward matter, but when Lotus opted to revive the black-and-gold combination of the classic John Player Special livery for its new Formula One car, things got a bit complicated. Not because it was once associated with a tobacco brand, but because of the still-unsettled dispute with the other Lotus team.

The Malaysian outfit at the back of the field originally planned on adopting the black and gold for this season, but opted to stick with its existing green and yellow livery shortly after Lotus Cars assumed part ownership of the newly rechristened Lotus Renault GP team.

The naming rights may still be in dispute, but the livery issue is settled. And Lotus isn't just applying it to the grand prix racer you see here. (Though Renault, incidentally, displayed the team's car from last year in the new livery on its stand, and Pirelli a selection of last year's cars as well, Lotus appears to have brought the new 2011 challenger...or at least a mockup.) The British outfit also brought along an Evora GT4 decked out in the same scheme. And it looks positively dynamite on both cars. But don't take our word for it: check it out for yourself in the high-resolution image gallery below and see for yourself.

Gallery: 2011 Lotus Race Cars: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: Lotus flashes the black and gold with new racing cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus Racing to return to classic JPS black and gold livery

Noah Joseph — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

The relationship between Lotus the automaker and Lotus the F1 racing team only seems to be getting more complicated. The name was licensed by Malaysian state automaker Proton to fellow Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes for use by his F1 team. Then Fernandes announced he didn't need Proton's permission and bought the name from a third party who claimed ownership. Proton and Lotus disputed the claim and canceled the licensing agreement, but Fernandes insisted he was within his rights. Both Lotus and Fernandes then launched their own GP2 feeder teams. Rumors then surfaced that Lotus the automaker was set to jump into F1 on its own by buying Renault's team, leaving us to wonder which team would race under the Lotus name and which would be forced to back down.

The signs seemed to point towards Fernandes losing the battle, but the latest word indicates otherwise. After racing their first season in classic Lotus green and yellow, the team has now announced it will be "returning" to the black and gold livery that Team Lotus used in its heyday under John Player Special sponsorship. Only now, of course, tobacco sponsorship is banned in F1.

Have the two Lotus outfits come up with this as a solution to differentiate one team from another? Or is Fernandes preparing to soldier on under the Lotus banner regardless of what the automaker says? We'll find out sooner or later, but as of now it appears the controversy has far from subsided.

[Source: Autosport]

Lotus Racing to return to classic JPS black and gold livery originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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