27.06.2024Starting signal for the "white giant"

With the newly developed 917 long tail, Porsche presented a vehicle that was to have a lasting impact on motorsport in the decades to come.

Flat as a pancake, the racing car was specially developed for use in Le Mans and the Hunaudières straight, which at that time was not yet interrupted by chicanes. The four-and-a-half-liter engine with twelve cylinders and over 580 hp helped to bring the 800 kilogram racing machine to a top speed of almost 400 kilometers per hour, which was difficult to control, however.

Rolf Stommelen impressed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1969 in the 917 with starting number 14 with speed and record laps. Despite this, the two works cars used by Porsche System Engineering did not see the checkered flag. The yellow and white Porsche driven by Stommelen and Kurt Ahrens fell behind early in the race due to oil loss and had to be parked some time later due to the typical problem with the 917 - a defective clutch.

The blue and white sister car with the starting number 12, driven by Vic Elford and Richard Attwood, initially seemed to defend the honor of the new Porsche racing car. But a few hours before the end of the race, the 917 with the pretty blue eyes also had to come into the pits with a clutch failure and no hope of continuing. This meant that the chance of victory was gone.

The three Porsche 917 LHs that appeared at the premiere in Geneva and then at their start in Le Mans were manufactured by WERK83 in scale 1:18 in the usual high quality and with steerable front wheels. For all 917 LH fans, these models could be the start of a wonderful little collection of these unique racing cars.

Porsche 917 LH #917 Autosalon Genf 1969 1:18 WERK83, RRP €79.95, item-no.: W18019001

Porsche 917 LH #12 24h LeMans 1969 Elford, Attwood 1:18 WERK83, RRP €79.95, item-no.: W18019002

Porsche 917 LH #14 24h LeMans 1969 Stommelen, Ahrens jr. 1:18 WERK83, RRP €79.95, item-no.: W18019003

Products

	Porsche 917 LH #917 Geneva Motor Show 1969 1:18 WERK83	71,96 €
	Porsche 917 LH #12 24h LeMans 1969 Elford, Attwood 1:18 WERK83	71,96 €
	Porsche 917 LH #14 24h LeMans 1969 Stommelen, Ahrens jr. 1:18 WERK83	71,96 €