Endurance racing…you’ve probably heard of it. Racing for 12 or 24 hours on a single circuit, where laps matter more than who crosses the finish line in what order, have always been a huge proving ground for manufacturers and drivers to demonstrate engineering excellence and driving determination. The cars that win on these circuits become legends, and that’s certainly true of the Porsche 917.
The 917, with an air-cooled flat-12, later turbocharged to over 1000 horsepower, was built with the single minded purpose of dominating endurance. This car, the #3 Martini-Rossi 1971 Porsche 917K, while not quite as famous as it’s LeMans-winning cousins, certainly stands in its own right. Piloted by Vic Elford and Gerard Larrousse, this is the car that won the 1971 12 hours of Sebring, also marking the final year that the dominant 917’s would appear at the race.
This 1/12 model from Minichamps captures that car, complete with it’s Martini-Rossi livery, in striking detail, making a great addition to the Model Car Hall of Fame.