There are many great Porsche traditions: the iconic 911, record-setting laps on the Nürburgring, and a storied history in motorsports. This heritage includes the Martini Porsche racing team that dates back almost 60 years. The distinctive “Martini” lettering with red and blue stripes is nearly as unique as a 911’s shape.
Thanks to the modern technology of car wrapping, Porsche owners can embrace the legacy of Martini Racing while customizing their favorite ride. Before we get on to the details of a custom wrap, let’s first look at the story of how these two great brands have collaborated over the years.
Martini Racing & Porsche: A Fabled Partnership
Tracing its motorsports roots back to 1958 to promote its distilled spirits, Martini & Rossi began to sponsor race cars from fellow Italian company Alfa Romeo. And while other cars, like Lancia, would wear Martini Racing branding, the iconic colors started with Porsches. And while you ask, the Martini drink is reported to have gotten its name from the distiller’s Martini brand of vermouth.
Anyway, the story goes that in 1968 the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) allowed non-automotive advertising on race cars for the first time. So, the partnership began when Martini & Rossi’s marketing person in Germany offered his race driver friend some equipment in exchange for adding some Martini stickers to a Porsche 910-023 racer.
Martini Racing was formally launched in 1970. The iconic combination of dark blue, light blue, and red stripes would become as commonplace in international motorsports as Busch beer is today at NASCAR racing. The next decade saw a series of Porsche racers, wearing the ubiquitous Martini Racing colors, achieve a significant number of victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and other major international races. By 1980, Martini’s partnership with Porsche had faded, and Martini Racing began sponsoring race teams with Lancia and Ford.
The Martini Racing and Porsche partnership was resurrected in 2013 when both companies were celebrating important milestones. Martini was commemorating its parent company’s 150th anniversary, and Porsche was preparing for the 50th anniversary of the 911, which launched in 1964. The rejuvenated partnership saw the familiar Martini Racing livery on a 911 GT3 Cup racer. This purpose-built race car features a 3.8L flat-six making 460 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. Performance includes a standstill to 60 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a 193 mph top speed.
Martini Racing’s Porsche Liveries Over The Years
As Porsches have changed over the years, so have the designs used to showcase the brand’s partnership with Martini. Let’s check out some of the great liveries and cars that have represented Martini Racing and Porsche.
Porsche 917 K The Porsche 917 K is one of the early vehicles that started the historic collaboration with Martini Racing. Its 1971 win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans further cemented the car’s legendary status in motorsports history. (image source: Wikimedia)
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbo 2.1
Another Porsche for the history books, the 1974 RSR Turbo 2.1, was not only the first turbocharged Porsche but the first turbo racer to participate in Le Mans. (image source: Porsche)
Porsche 935
Porsche adapted a 911 Turbo into the 935 for the 1976 Makes World Championship. The racer wins the title and continues an uninterrupted victory streak until 1982. (image source: Porsche)
Porsche 936
Using the same turbo engine as the RSR Turbo but pumped up to 520 horsepower, Porsche produced the 936 for participation in the World Championship in 1976. In the same year, the 936 saw victory in yet another 24 Hours of Le Mans. Its aerodynamic looks were well suited to toy cars as well; even Matchbox produced its own 936. (image source: Porsche)
Porsche 911 GT3
2013 marked the return of Martini Racing to motorsports and a renewed partnership with Porsche. The new livery embraces classic Martini branding while incorporating new graphic elements that highlight the GT3’s shell. (image source: Motorauthority)
Become Part Of The Martini Porsche Racing Legend
With all this rich racing history in mind, now’s the time to transform your Porsche into a Martini racer thanks to high-quality vinyl wrapping that’s crafted just for your car. The best part is that it’s easy and won’t permanently alter anything. Let’s review Exclusive Detail’s five-step process.
Planning: The first step in transforming a Porsche involves learning about your car and preferences. We’ll ask a lot of questions like, “What color is your car?” This helps us recommend the best graphics package to complement the paint. “What effect are you looking for?” With this answer, we can suggest an appropriate wrap that might only include side stripes or the complete treatment that involves hood and roof graphics.
Design: Based on what we learn about your preferences, an Exclusive Detail technician will custom design your Martini Racing package to the exact specifications of your Porsche. This ensures a precise and professional fit.
Inspection: The key to a successful vehicle wrap is all about the placement of the vinyl materials onto a clean, smooth body. To prevent blemishes from showing through into the vinyl, we’ll thoroughly inspect the application surface and correct trouble areas.
Installation: This is the moment of truth where your “ordinary” Porsche becomes a legendary Martini racer, at least in spirit. Our technicians will meticulously apply the vinyl wrap to your car with the same attention to detail that your vehicle first received at the Porsche factory.
The images below demonstrate a recently completed project by Exclusive Detail.
