300 SEL 6.8 AMG
Story
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG is the car that put AMG's name on the world stage. It is also known as "Die Rote Sau" (the Red Pig).
AMG was founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher (the name comes from the founders' surnames and Großaspach, Aufrecht's birthplace).
On 24 July 1971 it lined up for the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, with Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz behind the wheel. Among nimble touring cars like the Ford Capri, BMW 2800 CS, Chevrolet Camaro and Alfa Romeo GTA, this huge sedan finished second overall and won its class. The race winner was a Ford Capri, but the real story was AMG: the result made the small firm famous overnight. The "Red Pig" nickname was given by the press a few years later.
The original car was later sold to the French company Matra, where it was used for tyre testing, and it was scrapped in the early 1990s. Faithful replicas exist today; one is on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
The model is from Hot Wheels Car Culture's "Thrill Climber" series.