Formula One has long been considered the pinnacle of motorsport, presenting an irresistible allure for car manufacturers. And while the old adage of “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,” may not be as relevant as it once was, F1’s ability to generate headlines and its global reach still hold undeniable appeal for many auto makers.
A new name on the grid this season is Aston Martin, and to celebrate its arrival the company has unveiled a flagship F1 Edition of its Vantage, with chassis tweaks and power upgrades. It’s a fitting way to mark Aston’s return to the sport, and follows a long line of special models from car makers designed to capitalise on their involvement in the F1 circus, some of which have been absolutely extraordinary. Here we take a look at a selection of the more unlikely F1-inspired specials over the years.
Mercedes A160 Hakkinen Edition
Mika Hakkinen won the F1 world championship for McLaren-Mercedes in 1998 (and 1999 for that matter). You’d have thought the German giant would have been extremely proud of this achievement, but to mark the first of these titles it produced a special edition so crass that it felt more like an insult rather than a tribute to the famously taciturn Finn. The first-generation A-Class’s looks were challenging enough, but the red, grey and black detailing and emblazonment of Hakkinen’s name on the door took tawdriness to a whole new level.
Renault Espace F1
The general public couldn’t actually get their hands on this one, as it was only a concept, and that was probably for the best. In 1995, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Renault’s pioneering Espace people carrier and the firm’s involvement in F1, someone at production partner Matra thought it would be a good idea to create an MPV the likes of which the world had never seen. Cue the Espace F1, which combined an 800bhp RS5 V10 engine from the title-winning 1993 Williams-Renault FW15C and a carbon-fibre chassis to devastating effect, with 0-62mph dispatched in 2.8 seconds. Bonkers.
Honda Civic Jordan
You couldn’t miss Jordan’s race cars on the grid in the late 1990s, with their bright yellow liveries, and the same goes for this Civic special edition, produced to mark the Japanese company’s relationship with the team as engine supplier. Given the Civic Type R was not available at the time, this 160bhp VTI-S version of the hatch was the hottest on offer in the UK and only 500 were produced. A plaque featuring team boss Eddie Jordan’s signature and Buzzin’ Hornets logos inside ensured you wouldn’t forget you were in an F1 special, without embracing outright tastelessness.
Fiat Seicento Sporting Michael Schumacher
What could be a more fitting tribute to one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all-time than… a special-edition version of a 54bhp city car, of which only 5,000 were produced? Launched in 2001, when Schuey was at the peak of his powers with Ferrari, the Seicento Sporting Michael Schumacher came about via Fiat’s hefty stake in the supercar maker-cum-F1 powerhouse. The special was marked out by a Schumacher signature on the tail, a numbered plaque inside and an Abarth bodykit, and despite its low power output, proved surprisingly fun to drive.
Fiat Stilo Michael Schumacher Edition
Four years later in 2005, another Fiat special edition was launched to celebrate the great man’s fifth consecutive world title for Ferrari. While the Stilo is a name plate that is unlikely to be remembered with much fondness by car fans, this Abarth-tuned version had a bit more going for it with a racy 2.4-litre 170bhp engine and vivid ‘Ferrari red’ paintwork. Buyers were also treated to the obligatory limited-edition numbered plaque and unique Schumacher badging. And in an extra twist, there was a limited edition of the limited edition – a GP version for the UK with chassis tweaks by specialist Prodrive. When all was said and done, though, it was still a Stilo…
Caterham Seven Kamui Kobayashi Edition
Here was a limited edition that truly lived up to its name – just 10 were made and they were only available in Japan, the home country of Caterham F1’s driver Kamui Kobayashi. While some, or indeed most, F1-inspired specials have no involvement from the driver whose name they bear, Kobayashi was apparently consulted for this 2014 release and suggested some of the design tweaks. The model was based on the standard Seven R, and featured a 125bhp 1.6-litre Ford that delivered 120mph. And yes, there were some special Kobayashi logos.
Infiniti FX Vettel Edition
In hindsight, the justification for this special seemed particularly convoluted. In essence, Vettel had won a couple of titles for Red Bull – he went on to win four – which used Renault engines. Renault and Nissan were part of the same empire, and Nissan owned Infiniti, which was desperately in need of profile. So Infiniti’s name ended up on the F1 cars in a rather tenuous marketing exercise, and from that tie-up this model ensued. A heavyweight SUV with heavyweight power (420bhp from the 5.0-litre V8), the FX seemed something of a muddled proposition, especially as it also carried a heavyweight price (in excess of £100k). It didn’t do much for Infiniti either; the brand announced it was quitting Europe in 2019.
Renault Twizy F1
The French company’s electric single seater was always a bit of an oddball, but this one-off special, inspired by its F1 involvement, took things to a whole new level. Renaultsport’s makeover included an F1-style carbon fibre rear splitter and front spoiler, but of more significance was the power upgrade, with the Twizy’s 17bhp electric motor complemented by the KERS electric boost system from the team’s F1 car. This upped the power to nearly 100bhp for brief 13-second bursts. In a model as light as the Twizy, that added up to devastating acceleration. Sadly, like the Espace, this piece of automotive trickery was not available for public consumption.
Keyword: Amazing F1-inspired special editions