The concept was outrageous, built at huge expense not one but 25 Le Mans challengers, thereby qualifying for ‘sports car’ status, sidestepping a 3.0 litre prototype limit. 

At a stroke, the resultant 4.5 - 5 litre 917 (the largest capacity air cooled race car ever) rendered its prototype rivals obsolete. Truly one of the most iconic race cars in the history of motorsport. Whilst at first it had been an unwieldy beast, tamed for 1970, it had the measure of its rivals. 

For two seasons it trampled its opposition and won world championship race after championship race, including Le Mans in 1970 and 1971, subsequently its speed dubbed as ‘too fast’ at over 240mph lead rule makers to throw out large capacity race cars from endurance racing; at which point it turned its sights to America where it proceeded to shatter its rivals in turbocharged form, cementing its legacy as one of the greatest racing cars of all time. 

This livery is the 1971 Gulf liveried 917k, raced by motorsport British legend Derek Bell and Swiss Jo Siffert at the 1000km Monza, where it placed second, only behind its sister Porsche 917k.