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Philosophy
The classic Grand Prix Originals Line has its roots in the late 60s and the early 70s and is regarded as the most exiting and finest period in the tradition of motorsports.
A time of the originals
Everything was somehow original, the racing cars still showed the engines and the drivers, the races were hard fought, often there were more then 20 lead changes and everything was done with a lot traditional and history. Race tracks were created organically and embedded naturally in the surroundings.The atmosphere in the pits, the first sponsors like the Swiss clock tycoon Jack w. Heuer, himself a spectator, the clothes of the times and the autos were all somehow originals that had charm and charisma and their own form and character.
The actual core of originality is that the human being himself is an individual.At the end of the sixties a powerful movement was underway in society, one that which was leaving behind the old conservative and encrusted values and was emancipating itself with originality. Personal freedom was the highest good, and anything goes was the motto. Even racing cars were soon thought to be getting wings.
The race drivers and gentleman drivers of the epoch, like Jim Clark, Jacky Ickx or Jackie Stewart,were pronounced individualist and originals with great driving skills. The racing stall owners and constructors like Bruce McLaren, Colin Chapman (Lotus) or later Jack Brabham are still unforgettable names and legends today. Some race car drivers like the Swissman Jo Siffert drove Formula 1, Formula 2, and the long tracks with completely different racing cars and ended up racing over 40 races a season!
Jo Siffert took home 13 victories in total with Porsche. Most of them were with the Porsche 908, 910 and 917 with the sponsoring help of Gulf and Heuer.The layout of the suit with the blue and orange stripe was very popular at his time.The victories of Jacky Ickx in the 24 hours of Lemans with the Gulf-blue GT40 or the Porsche double victory 1970/71 (Atwood/Marko) in the legendary Porsche 917 are also equally unforgettable. By the way, the track record for the average speed of the 24 Hours of Lemans is still held by this same Porsche 917 with 222,4 kmh/h.
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Grand Prix Originals by DAKOTAJo Siffert was also who convinced Steve McQueen to wear the blue and orange racing suit for the filming his race driver epic „Le Mans”. Jo visited Steve, who had already made many takes by this time in different racing suits, but couldn‚t determine how he wanted to look in the film. When Siffert came Steve said, „I wanted to look as cool as Jo.” After the film hit theaters in 1971, a down right flood broke out for Gulf merchandise. Everyone wanted to be as cool as Mr. Supercool - Steve McQueen. The world wide demand was so big, that the manufacturer couldn’t keep up.Another myth of the grand Prix Originals was born, that DAKOTA - Home of Speed, inspired by the style of Steve McQueen, has resurrected 34 years later.And the spirits that are being called upon are only growing bigger. 34 years later DAKOTA awake the myth again with the typical layout of the racing overall with the blue and red stripe and the orange Disc in the middle. "It's only when I'm going fast in a racing |
