Famous for all the wrong reasons “The Pink Pig” could
have been a mere footnote in Porsche Le Mans history if
it weren’t for the somehow shocking livery
and the background story.
Few cars in racing history were as well succeeded
and celebrated as the 917.
It was born in a short period of time to comply
with the new 1968 regulation, yet it proved almost
unbeatable. Based on the 908 design, but with a lighter
frame, a V12 air cooled engine and 580hp, it was
seriously fast, but proved to be a handful.
After a terrible first season which included a fatal
crash, the 917 had to be rethought. It was John Wyer’s
private team who sorted out the handling by
redesigning the Porsche’s rear section,
especially the tail.
The result was a much more stable car which
was way above its rivals on most tracks
and won Le Mans in 1970.
But because there’s always room for improvement,
Porsche wanted a shape that could combine the
low-drag coefficient of the 917 LH with the stability and
downforce of the short-tail 917K. To make it happen,
Porsche called upon SERA (Society for the Study
of Automotive Achievement), who already had
assisted Porsche with aerodynamics for the 917LH.
Porsche then made the same request to their
internal styling department, led by Anatole Lapine
and Richard Soderberg, but Porsche opted for the SERA
proposal, eventually to get the sympathy of the French
scrutineers who have to accept the new shape
as a simple evolution...
Called 917/20, this model was much wider than
a standard 917K, and had a shorter nose
and tail, giving it a “fat” appearance.
Nonetheless, it would be entered as a third car
in the Martini Racing Team, driven by Willi Kauhsen
and Reinhold Joest. And just like the “psychedelic”
917LH the year before, it would have a different livery
created, once again, by Richard Soderberg,
and this is where it becomes funny.
Probably as a little revenge by Lapine and Soderberg,
the car appeared at Le Mans painted in pink, with the
butcher’s diagram over it and a small sticker with the
words “The truffle hunter from Zuffenhausen”, leaving
no doubt it was meant to look like a pig. The livery
caused quite a stir, and the fans loved it,
but Count Rossi refused to associate
his brand with it.
The 917/20 proved to be no bad car though,
and while it crashed when it was in fifth place,
Joest confirmed the car was as good as expected and…
didn’t handle like a pig at all!
