Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 „Red Pig“ rises

The victory of the red pig.
or: how the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 l  „Red Pig“ got famous.

July 25th 1971 - the day AMG made history. The red exotic Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL (AMG) with 6.3 l was second to cross the finish line at the 24-hour race in Spa-Franchorchamps, causing a stir. It was a sensation for the drivers Hans Heyer, Clemens Schickentanz and the entire racing team. It was assumed that the  teams driven by Messrs. Lauda, ​​Stuck, Glemser or Mass would win, but Heyer and Schickentanz brought AMG class victory and second place in the overall standings, and thus world fame overnight. Since then, the striking vehicle with its sponsor stickers and AMG Touring equipment has been a real cultural asset. But where does the nickname "Red Pig" come from? Because this name was not common in the closest circles of the vehicle. It was the press, which only wrote and spoke about the “Rote Sau” a few years later. The legendary status was from then on - thanks to the victory and the exotic naming - secured for the racing icon.

What is the "Red Pig" actually?
or: designed by Mercedes-Benz (Daimler) for the road, tuned by AMG for the racetrack

Between 1967 and 1972 Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) built the W 109 - Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL series with a 6.3 liter engine. With its almost 1.8 tonnes, the 300 SEL was not suitable for racetracks. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher, on the other hand, made the impossiblepossible for the “S-Class” with their then still young tuning company “AMG” from Affalterbach. On the basis of a W-109 accident car, they rebuilt the entire vehicle. They used original Mercedes-Benz parts for the reconstruction and combined them with a five-speed manualtransmission with a racing clutch. With its 428 hp and a maximum torque of 620 Newton meters, the vehicle now achieved a top speed of 265 km / h.

Does the original "Red Pig" still exist?
or: how Arthur Bechtel Classic Motors brings the „Red Pig" back to life - The rising of a legend

It's a story with an open, unexplained ending. The racing career of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 l "Rote Sau" was over in 1972. Regulations that limited cubic capacity to a maximum of five liters have now disqualified the vehicle. One would think that such a racing car is now housed in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. But this is not the case: the French arms company Matra is looking for a car that could accelerate to 200 km / h within 1,000 meters. Here the red sow was converted for high-speed tests of aircraft tires. His track is then lost - one suspects scrapping at the end of the 80s. Today Arthur Bechtel Classic Motors presents the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 "Rote Sau" as a first-class replica.

In the year 2019, our team brought the famous racing car back to life as a first-class replica. Since then, this classic racing car (replica) is a firm component of the portfolio of our restoration: The base of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL (model series W109) is used, which we equipped with all the technical as well as the visual features of the original "Red Pig". Provided with the racing touring car equipment from AMG, the installed V8-engine and a displacement of 6,332 cc, the vehicle gives a real racing-feeling. 

Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 l "Red Pig" for sale

You are interested in buying this classic racing car (replica)? Buy your Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 "Red Pig" from us and benefit from numerous special services and additional options, as for example a 1-year full warranty, a photographic documentation of the restoration and the customer support (registration/ tax/ import ...). Thanks to our in-house restoration of our classic car-workshop, any customer wishes can be implemented during the work.

Vehicle data of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 "Red Pig" as a first-class replica:

Individual restoration

You are interested in the restoration of your dream classic car? We restore according to your wishes and ideas. It is our pleasure to inform you about the possibilities of our individual restoration of several Mercedes-Benz models. The choices of exterior, interior, equipment and all extra options are yours. We are looking forward to hearing from you via Instagram, WhatsApp, by E-Mail (info@arthur-bechtel.com) or by phone +49 7031 3069522.