Marlboro, McLaren, Senna. Rothmans, Porsche, Bellof. State Express 555, Subaru, McRae. There have been many iconic drivers, cars and livery combinations in the history of motorsport.
There are few sponsorship liveries that transcend the drivers or vehicles associated with them, however. Martini is one of them, as is Gulf Oil. But I can’t think of a more recognizable motorsport livery than the bright orange Jägermeister.
It wasn’t originally intended to be orange. The very first Jägermeister race car was painted dark green, in line with the glass the drink is bottled in. It was soon changed to orange to stand out on the track among the field.
The car in question? This exact Porsche 914/6.
Sponsoring is a simple equation in theory. Take a company CEO who wants to market his product – Günter Mast and Jägermeister. Find a suitable platform and person to promote your brand to the world. Create awareness, make sales and make profit.
Günter was fortunate enough to have a nephew (Eckhard ‘Ekhi’ Schimpf) with an interest in motorsport and a racing car. A thousand Deutsche Marks later and with the Rallye Monte-Carlo behind them, the precedent was set for Jägermeister’s future in motorsport.
Provided the car changed color, of course.
Ekhi became team manager and opted to be paid to race in a Jägermeister car whenever he wanted, while earning his living as a motoring journalist. (Sounds good to me.)
Which brand you associate with the orange livery of Jägermeister can vary greatly depending on your preference for a particular motorsport.
If you’re a fan of touring car racing, the first thing that comes to mind might be the DTM Group A BMW E30 M3, or perhaps the Alfa Romeo 155 or Jägermeister’s latest race car, the Opel Astra DTM.
Fan of historic Formula 1? You may remember the era of March F1 with the orange team in the 70s with Cosworth DFV power. The 70s were a much simpler time in Formula 1; teams were trying to qualify on the grid with 20+ drivers competing every weekend.
I think the most recognizable combination of Jägermeister is the one between the legendary BMW touring cars and the fearsome Porsche racing cars.
From the Group 2 3.0 CSL to the Group 5 E21 320 Turbo and the iconic DTM M3, BMW has strong ties with the brand.
Yet Porsche is where they started, and orange Porsches have competed in disciplines from early rallies to the World Supercar Championship, IMSA and DRM. Wins and podiums at Le Mans, Spa, Nürburgring and Daytona cemented the iconic partnership.
Air-cooled Wroclaw 2024 brought no less than four Jägermeister Porsches together. I couldn’t decide if I like the #17 935 or the Carrera 3.0 RSR more…
Normally I’m not a fan of flat noses (I prefer frog eyes), but the side view of this early 935 with its huge wing was incredible, especially as night fell and the LED lighting changed the mood.
There’s no looking away from a Porsche 962, though, with this ‘C’ model’s short tail and bolt-on wing giving it a much more aggressive stance than the long-tailed, low-drag, high-elegance versions. Jägermeister enjoyed great success with Brun Motorsport, the first privateer team to purchase a Porsche 956 – the car’s predecessor.
2000 was the final year of Jägermeister’s racing legacy, with the costs associated with sponsoring DTM no longer worth the attention. The sport simply did not have the reach anymore.
As such, every orange race car with a deer on its flanks is a trip down memory lane. They are reminders of a bygone era of motorsport where competition was dangerous, fierce and oh so stylish.
Would I like to see orange Jägermeister race cars return to motorsports? Maybe, but sometimes it’s better to keep the rose-tinted glasses on.
Mario Christou
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