Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG Le Mans test March 1972

AMG's Red Pig had become legendary after finishing second in the 1971 Spa 24 Hours at the latest. The heavyweight was created at AMG from a crashed Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3, upgraded to 6.8 litres, slimmed down by 130 kg and fitted with widened wheel arches to accommodate the wide and lightweight magnesium rims of the Mercedes C111 prototype. However, at the end of the season, the displacement in the ETCC was limited to 5 litres, and the AMG monster had no place to compete in 1972. Apart from an appearance at the Norisring, the now yellow-painted 6.8 AMG could only be seen and heard of course at the Le Mans test day on 19 March 1972.

Hans Heyer drove the Yellow Pig to 22nd place, just ahead of Jean Ragnotti's Opel Commodore but still far behind the 9th place achieved by Strietzel Stuck and Jochen Mass in the Ford Capri RS 2600 as the fastest touring car. Whether it was due to the insane fuel consumption of 37 litres per 100 kilometres or simply because Mercedes and AMG did not think they stood a realistic chance in the race: the car was not entered for the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans and, after the end of its short racing career, was sold to Matra, where, after massive modifications, it met a rather inglorious end as a test vehicle for landing gear in the aircraft division.