Porsche’s 963 RSP: The Street-Legal Le Mans Hypercar Unveiled
▼ Summary
– The Porsche 963 RSP is a road-adapted version of the 963 LMDh race car, created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Porsche’s roadgoing 917.
– The project was a secretive “submarine project” involving a small team, aiming to stay as close to the race car as possible without full homologation.
– The car features modifications like tamed suspension, road-friendly hybrid tuning, and luxury finishes, but retains the 963’s core performance specs.
– Porsche collaborated with Porsche Penske Motorsport to build the car, with Roger Penske as the intended owner, and it includes nods to the historic 917.
– While no further roadgoing 963s are planned, Porsche remains open to future projects if demand and opportunity arise.
Porsche has blurred the lines between track and street once again with its extraordinary 963 RSP – a barely modified Le Mans hypercar that somehow earned road-legal status. This engineering marvel proves that with enough creativity and technical prowess, even the most extreme racing machines can find their way onto public roads.
The project traces its inspiration to Porsche’s legendary 917 road car, built in 1971 for Count Rossi. That machine, essentially a street-legal Le Mans winner, became the blueprint for the 963 RSP. A small team within Porsche secretly worked to recreate that magic, knowing full well that modern racing regulations make such conversions infinitely more complex.
Unlike the original 917 road car, which received full homologation, the 963 RSP operates under special exemptions. Porsche Penske Motorsport collaborated closely with Porsche’s design and engineering teams to refine the car just enough for limited road use while preserving its racing DNA. The result is a machine that looks, sounds, and performs nearly identically to its Le Mans counterpart.
Built on a fresh chassis rather than a retired race car, the 963 RSP features subtle but crucial modifications. The suspension was softened, the hybrid system recalibrated for smoother low-speed operation, and the bodywork adjusted to accommodate license plates. Yet beneath these tweaks lies the same twin-turbo 4.6-liter V-8 and Bosch hybrid system found in the race car, producing an estimated 700 horsepower.
Inside, Porsche’s craftsmen elevated the finish far beyond the stripped-out race version. The carbon fiber body was meticulously sanded and painted in Martini Silver, mirroring the original 917. Alcantara upholstery, leather-wrapped steering wheel grips, and even a 3D-printed cup holder add a touch of road-going civility.
Driving the 963 RSP isn’t as simple as turning a key—starting it requires a laptop and expert assistance. Still, Porsche secured special permission for the car to roam French roads near Le Mans, where brand ambassador Timo Bernhard recently piloted it alongside the historic 917. “It felt unreal,” Bernhard remarked, praising the car’s surprisingly manageable demeanor on public streets.
After appearances at Goodwood and Monterey Car Week, the one-of-a-kind 963 RSP will be handed over to Roger Penske, whose initials grace its name. While Porsche hasn’t announced plans for additional road-legal 963s, the door remains open for future projects. For now, this extraordinary machine stands as a testament to what happens when racing passion meets engineering brilliance.
(Source: motor1.com)
