Hooniverse Asks – Black History Month, What’s The Best John Player Special Car?

Robert Emslie

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If, in the ’70s, you happened to be a smoker, you’re most likely dead by now. However, had you dodged that bullet and beaten the odds, maybe you’re still with us. In that case, had you happened to spend the disco days on the Continent, you likely chose JPS as your cancer stick of choice. Not only did that 183 year-old maker of pure smoking enjoyment provide black and gold boxes of their product as bar top enticements of the preferred lifestyle, but they also lent their name and color coordination to automakers for special editions.
Back then, smoking was looked upon with furrowed brows rather than the wide eyed shock of today, and advertising cigarettes wasn’t equated to clubbing seals in the eyes of non-smokers. Also back then, John Player Special color schemes were employed by a number of car makers – okay, three.
So, out of those – and across all their models – which is your favorite JPS model? Black and gold, ebony fields broken only by lines the color of Jenny Agutter’s hair (those of your of a certain age know what I’m talking about) there’s a ’70s vibe to the John Player Specials, and each one is unique in its presentation. But which one  do you like the best?
Image source: [zigasm.com]

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Robert Emslie

Robert Emslie

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  1. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar
    Rust-MyEnemy

    I must get this in here quickly:
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Mk_II_Capri_jps_2000.jpg&quot; width=400>
    If you rocked one of these in Essex you were da man. King of the council estate, Lord of the working-mans club.
    I always had a thing for black and gold, I remember completely bastardising murdering out one of my R/C cars to achieve this look. I failed.

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      If you rock one today, you're … Russell Brand.

      Reply
  2. hwyengr Avatar
    hwyengr

    SInce I didn't know any other car but the Europa came in a JPS version, I'll use that as my favorite.

    Reply
    1. engineerd Avatar
      engineerd

      I agree!
      <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/2908055341_c3ca9a91b3.jpg&quot; width="500" height="333" alt="1973 Lotus Europa JPS" />
      I think pretty much every Lotus came in a JPS livery.

      Reply
      1. Alff Avatar
        Alff

        Ditto. These are my favorites, too. Back in the day they were widely reviled. Should have bought one then, or more likely convinced my Dad to.

        Reply
      2. dukeisduke Avatar
        dukeisduke

        I can remember seeing a JPS Europa when I was a kid (when they were new), and I was in awe. I thought the Europa was cool to begin with, but the black-and-gold just jacked it up to a whole new level.

        Reply
  3. P161911 Avatar
    P161911

    I'm partial to Mario Andretti's 1979 Lotus Esprit. It was given to him for winning the championship in '78.
    <img src="http://www.remarkablecars.com/ppads/data/416/1979-lotus-0011.jpg"width=500&gt;

    Reply
  4. Alff Avatar
    Alff

    JPS, now with less euro weaksauce…
    <img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5090/5301000236_46810fdcb8.jpg"width=500&gt;
    /sarcasm

    Reply
  5. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    I did not know the Trans Am Mustang had JPS livery.
    <img width=500 src="http://www.flickr.com/photos/antsphoto/5301000236/in/pool-601079@N20/"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Jinx … you owe me a Coke.

      Reply
      1. engineerd Avatar
        engineerd

        Mmmmmm…coke.
        <img width=500 src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KXaG6KEGB1s/SwkeH6VyXSI/AAAAAAAAAIM/QGt2d63tZ_c/s1600/coke-ad.jpg"&gt;

        Reply
  6. FЯeeMan Avatar
    FЯeeMan

    <img src="http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/autosportinternational_lotu.jpg&quot; width="500">
    This one is Ronnie Peterson's Lotus 72, but Emerson Fittipaldi also drove one in 1970 after Jochen Rindt died in one during practice at Monza.
    Image Credit: <a href="http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk” target=”_blank”>http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk

    Reply
    1. scroggzilla Avatar
      scroggzilla

      Tough to argue against the 72……so, I won't.
      <img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4998815291_d9a6fb4fb5.jpg&quot; width="500" height="296" alt="73 spanish gp fittipaldi lotus" />

      Reply
      1. FЯeeMan Avatar
        FЯeeMan

        I like your picture better…

        Reply
    2. FЯeeMan Avatar
      FЯeeMan

      There's also this:
      <img src="http://circa71.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/10-greatest-pontiacs.jpg"&gt;
      but they're somewhat different genres…
      Image Credit: circa71.wordpress.com

      Reply
    3. FЯeeMan Avatar
      FЯeeMan

      reading comprehension fail…
      Rindt died in Monza in 70 in a 72, Peterson didn't join Lotus until 73 in the 72, which was replaced by the 76 in 74 but Ronnie didn't like it so in 74 he stuck with the 72.
      Clear?

      Reply
  7. mdharrell Avatar
    mdharrell

    So it's still up to me to put in a good word for the Sinclair C5, then, eh? Fine.
    <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3650/3580470297_e599efbab0.jpg&quot; width="400">
    The frame was designed by Lotus! Ayrton Senna drove/rode/pedaled one at least once! It's street-legal in Britain! Yay!

    Reply
    1. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      The Sinclair ZX80 had more power.

      Reply
  8. $kaycog Avatar
    $kaycog

    I thought this was really a great picture, but unfortunately the site, OctaneCulture, is under construction, so I have no idea who this gentleman is. Does anybody know?
    <img src="http://octaneculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/fealing_so_fly_like_a_gprix.jpg"width="500"/&gt;

    Reply
    1. mdharrell Avatar
      mdharrell

      That's Colin Chapman.

      Reply
      1. $kaycog Avatar
        $kaycog

        Thanks!

        Reply
    2. P161911 Avatar
      P161911

      I love the tail number. G-PR1X. In the US tail numbers have to start with N, in the UK it is G. I know that one of Nike's private jets has tail number N-1KE.

      Reply
      1. $kaycog Avatar
        $kaycog

        Interesting…..I didn't know that.

        Reply
      2. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar
        Rust-MyEnemy

        There are some cool vanity registrations over here, too. G-LIDE is a Piper PA-31-350. G-LUGG is a Colt 21a baloon (in the shape of a beverage). And many, many more.
        CAA.co.uk

        Reply
    3. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      Santa!

      Reply
  9. dmilligan Avatar
    dmilligan

    Andretti's Lotus 77:
    <img src="http://cdn.octanereport.com/upload/image/2010/08/monterey-motorsport-reunion-historics-top-03.jpg&quot; width=”600”>

    Reply
    1. dmilligan Avatar
      dmilligan

      Also, I was a smoker in the '70s and I'm still alive, and still smoking. So fuck you.

      Reply
  10. B72 Avatar
    B72

    Often Western European surnames have something to do with the families occupation. Smith, Taylor, Shepard all being examples. What I want to know is – what exactly did John's forebears do for a living?

    Reply
    1. 2stroke4life Avatar
      2stroke4life

      They made wooden barrels.

      Reply
      1. B72 Avatar
        B72

        A John Player Cooper would have been interesting!

        Reply
  11. dead_elvis Avatar
    dead_elvis

    A slightly different, and more recent iteration*:
    <img src="http://dalefranks.com/cycles/wp-content/uploads/Norton-F1-91-4.jpg"&gt;
    (Would be much sexier with a round headlight, though.)
    A better JP two-wheel livery:
    <img src="http://vroum52.com/mcl.img/norton-john_player_special%5B1974.jpg"&gt;
    *Yes, I know it said "car" up top… just wanted to wave my two-wheeled freak flag. Tanshanomi, a little backup here?

    Reply
    1. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      Everyone! Close your eyes; you're getting sleepy. Relax. Now repeat after me: "Today is Tuesday…Today is Tuesday…."
      And, yes, that shot's worthy of flying your freak flag over.

      Reply
  12. tiberiusẅisë Avatar
    tiberiusẅisë

    Any love for the Black Magic?
    <img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQh_A1Fggy1e7mHiJFCNoLBxemN17sDDzgS8VajL_oRWNqK3bsdZA&quot; width="400">

    Reply
  13. earlofhalflight Avatar
    earlofhalflight

    My favourite has been done so here's an honourable mention.
    <img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1177/1301824160_f72fe617df.jpg?v=0"&gt;

    Reply
    1. Black Steelies Avatar
      Black Steelies

      Anything e24 is win enough for me.

      Reply
    2. Alff Avatar
      Alff

      What kind of fool races a 6-series?

      Reply
      1. earlofhalflight Avatar
        earlofhalflight

        Former World Champion Denny Hulme and multiple Australian Touring Car Champion Peter Brock, that's who!
        Jim Richards won the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1985 in a sister car to this.

        Reply
        1. Alff Avatar
          Alff

          Yeah, I wasn't really aiming at those guys… http://hooniverse.info/2011/01/21/the-uberbird-fli…

          Reply
          1. earlofhalflight Avatar
            earlofhalflight

            Ah, got it now. 🙂

  14. Black Steelies Avatar
    Black Steelies

    Do I win? OK it's not a car but scotch and driving go together like, er…
    <img src="http://www.advisory.com.mk/images/JPS1L07L.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  15. Beer_Rover Avatar
    Beer_Rover

    Too late for Mario's Type 77, so how about a type 78.
    This was the original ground effects car, complete with side skirts.
    <img src="http://www.autoracing1.com/Images/Historic/Big/1221AndrettiBelgianGP78a.jpg"/ height="400" width="600">

    Reply
    1. Beer_Rover Avatar
      Beer_Rover

      OK. So the previous image is actually his Type type 79 from the 1978 Belgian GP.
      Here's Mario's Type 78 from the 1977 U.S. GP.
      <img src="http://www.034motorsport.com/articles/2008/super-lap-battle/05.jpg"/&gt;

      Reply
      1. FЯeeMan Avatar
        FЯeeMan

        heh… glad you had the same issue with the two-digit numbers I did…

        Reply
  16. BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ Avatar
    BЯдΖǐL-ЯЄРΘЯΤЄЯ

    Haha.. I had one of these Black ZX81 with the 16 kB expansion pack for massive add on memory.
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/85/ZX81_Sinclair_Research_advert.jpg"&gt;

    Reply
  17. dr zero Avatar
    dr zero

    This is slightly off topic, but does anyone else prefer the Gold Leaf colour scheme to the JPS black gold?
    <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/1971_Emerson_Fittipaldi%2C_Lotus_72_%28kl%29.JPG/800px-1971_Emerson_Fittipaldi%2C_Lotus_72_%28kl%29.JPG&quot; width=500>

    Reply
  18. 2stroke4life Avatar
    2stroke4life

    Lotus Elise 111S John Player Special… I want one so bad & they're not US-legal at this time, that I had to completely redo a Chrono diecast to build my own..
    http://www.wirewheel.com/2000-LOTUS-ELISE-111S-JP…

    Reply