Mercedes-Benz O317 (Rothmans) – Premium Classixxs

1968 Mercedes-Benz MB O317 
Premium Classixxs - 12207 (diecast) 

Published 05/30/17  

In 1968 Porsche bought two bare chassis + engine from Mercedes-Benz to use as renntransporters. The O317 was normally a bus chassis, but Porsche handed them over to Robert Schenk, a company also from Stuttgart, to build the bodywork to their specs, and both were painted in the Porsche-maroon color (Premium Classixxs’ #12206 version – “Buster”).

One of them kept the original maroon color for the factory cars, but in 1970 the other one became the transporter for the John Wyer Automotive Engineering / Porsche team, the “Porsche-Gulf” version (Premium Classixxs’ #12203), used in 1970 and 1971. It had in all-air suspension and Mercedes sold it on request with the OM 355 diesel engine. The OM 355 was a 11.6 liter flat horizontal direct-injection, producing 230 hp.

In 1982 the Porsche-Gulf transporter got a new paint job. It received the Rothmans Porsche System team colors, and became the “Porsche-Rothmans” transporter. Used in 1982 and 1983, but ended up abandoned in a farm in the US. Fortunately it was recently restored to it’s original Porsche-Gulf colors. Nowadays is part of Adrian Hamilton’s ROFGO Collection of Gulf-liveried racers.

Here we have Premium Classixxs’ version of the Porsche-Rothmans O317 transporter. It is exactly the same Porsche-maroon transporter but painted in Rothmans livery. In theory I didn’t need this truck, but I stumbled upon it locally for an irresistible price, so… Once again a FANTASTIC model, very well made and with great detailing, basically 1:18-good. And this time, as it’s proper and decent, I have the right car to show alongside it. Yeah, silly, I know. But what’s the point of getting a race car transporter if you don’t have the race cars that it transported? And I even have three to choose from…