Amalgam Collection Porsche 917 KH - 1971 Le Mans Winner Martini Livery

The Icon of Dominance, Immortalized in Racing Glory

Arguably one of the most iconic racing cars in the history of motorsport, the Porsche 917 was conceived following an unexpected rule change by the Commission Sportive Internationale, the independent competition body of the FIA. After the 1967 season, it was decreed that future prototype engines would be limited to 3.0 litres in order to reduce speeds on fast endurance circuits. This was intended to encourage manufacturers who built three-litre F1 engines to enter endurance racing. To accommodate this shift, a new Group 4 sports car series was announced, allowing engines up to 5.0 litres, but requiring a minimum of 25 units for homologation. Porsche, already developing its 3.0-litre 908, shocked the world with a second Group 4 prototype: the 917. Despite the FIA's doubts, Porsche submitted 25 units to the FIA just three weeks after the 917's debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1969.

The early 917 was powered by a 4.5-litre Flat-12 engine designed by renowned Porsche engineer Hans Mezger. To keep development costs down, the engine borrowed heavily from its 3.0-litre counterpart in the Porsche 908. The 1969 race engines produced 580 bhp and 376 lb-ft of torque. Later models offered larger displacement engines of 4.9, 5.0 and finally 5.4 litres, each providing a performance boost. The Flat-12 became the 917's most distinctive feature. However, the car's body and aerodynamics were initially problematic, causing instability at high speeds. The engineers persevered, adding wider rear wheels and other modifications that made the 917 a more controllable machine. The short-tail version, known as the 917K (Kurtz), became famous for its victories.

The 917K quickly achieved success, debuting at the 1970 Daytona 24 Hours, where John Wyer's Gulf-sponsored team finished 1-2, with the winning car breaking the distance record by 190 miles. This victory initiated the 917K's domination of the World Sportscar Championship for the next two seasons. Porsche’s first overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans soon followed, marking a momentous occasion for the German marque. In its first full year of competition, the 917K secured seven major victories. The 1971 season mirrored this success, with six major victories, including another Le Mans win. Later that year, the Can-Am version was developed, proving so dominant that the series lost popularity in the United States, never to return.

Today, the 917K is revered as one of the most iconic race cars ever. It brought Porsche its first overall victory at the world’s most grueling race and set an unparalleled record of dominance in prototype racing. If its racing achievements weren't enough, the car was immortalized on the big screen by Steve McQueen in the film "Le Mans." This 1:18 scale model of the Porsche 917 KH replicates the #22 car driven to victory by Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. This race, marked by good weather and a fast track, saw the 917K set a record that stood for 39 years. Handcrafted with Porsche's assistance, this model uses precise digital scanning to recreate every detail, ensuring complete accuracy of representation.