How the AMG-Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 became the ‘Red Pig’

If you like, the story of the ‘Red Sow’ began in what was then still a small workshop belonging to car dealer Klaus Behrmann in Norderstedt, just outside Hamburg.

Although Behrmann’s appearances in his Mercedes racing car – which he had prepared himself to a professional standard – took place on a smaller stage, they were no less successful than the sensational result achieved later by the AMG behemoth driven by Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz at the 1971 Spa 24-hour race – where they finished second overall behind the works Capri driven by Dieter Glemser and Alex Soler-Roig.

So, first of all, let’s talk about Klaus Behrmann. Anyone who comes up with the idea of transforming a luxury saloon weighing several tonnes into a racing car must surely be blessed with a good dose of idealism and a love for the brand with the star.

Both applied to the young Behrmann, who later went on to build a respectable automotive empire. His technical ingenuity was matched by great driving talent, so that his massive Mercedes cars – initially met with derision wherever he turned up – usually ended up right at the front of the field.

Behrmann fitted his racing machine with ever-larger engines, eventually achieving a displacement of 7.2 litres and nearly 400 PS. With this, he caused quite a stir on both rally and circuit tracks. His best result, statistically speaking, was second place in the 1966 German Circuit Racing Championship.

Now to AMG: when Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 300 SEL with a 6.3-litre eight-cylinder engine at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968, the AMG owners immediately recognised the car’s sporting potential.

A new car was still too expensive for the fledgling company, but in 1969 Hans-Werner Aufrecht managed to buy a crash-damaged car, along with a bare chassis, and over the next two years a touring car racer was developed which weighed 195 kilos less than the base model and, thanks to engine guru Erhard Melcher, now boasted an impressive 428 PS under the bonnet.

The big test was to take place at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, a round of the European Touring Car Championship.

For the race, Heyer and Schickentanz were instructed to set lap times of around 4 minutes 20 seconds and not to get involved in unnecessary battles for position.

Fuel consumption measurements during practice had shown a rate of 50 litres per 100 kilometres, and the pit stop intervals had been set accordingly.

Both drivers adhere strictly to the team’s instructions, completing their laps with clockwork precision and sitting in fourth place after a quarter of the race distance.

The pit crew is only called upon to change tyres and refuel; otherwise, there are no technical issues with the ‘Red Pig’.

Even the high fuel consumption seen in practice is reduced by more than 10 litres during the race. Had this been recognised earlier and longer intervals between pit stops planned accordingly, it might have been possible to mount an attack on the leading – and victorious – Ford Capri. As it was, they secured a truly incredible second place.

The result is a sensation; even the Tagesschau news programme reports on it. Across the country, hopes are growing for a return of Mercedes to the motorsport stage.

And so the ‘Red Sow’ has become a piece of motoring history.