For years, the difference between road car and race car was a bit more nebulous than it is now.
Especially at places like Le Mans, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the paths for road cars and top-flight prototypes started to diverge.
Which is precisely why the Porsche 963 RSP is so remarkable.
Porsche Motorsport in Germany prepared a new chassis for the 963 RSP—this is not a reused tub from a race car.
Porsche 963 RSP The 963 RSP sits on the same Michelin treaded rain tires the race cars use in inclement conditions, and they’re wrapped around 18-inch OZ wheels.
The distinction between a road car and a race car was less clear for many years than it is today. Only in the 1960s did the roads for road cars and top-flight prototypes begin to diverge, particularly at events like Le Mans. Now, the items you see at the sharp end of the La Sarthe grid resemble Formula 1 cars more than, say, 911s.
That’s why the Porsche 963 RSP is so amazing. This is an authentic 963 LMDh vehicle with French license plates that has been subdued just enough for on-road use. We talked to people who made a wild idea a reality.
Porsche took the picture.
During the IMSA season-ending Petit Le Mans last year, a group of Porsche employees met to discuss ways to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary of developing a roadgoing 917. The vehicle was built by Porsche for Count Rossi, the heir to the liquor fortune of Martini and Rossi. Rossi’s was a full-on Le Mans-winning race car for the road, even with a fully customized interior. Of all places, the Italian was able to obtain a license plate from the state of Alabama, and he truly relished the vehicle while driving.
That particular day, October 12th, was when a few people got together and brainstormed. During a virtual media roundtable, Timo Resch, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, asks, “How could we reimagine such a story as of today?”. We also began working on a project that day with very few participants. “”.
They developed what is known in Germany as a submarine project—one that would have as few personnel as possible, living below the surface and only coming to the surface when it was absolutely necessary.
It didn’t take long for the team to conclude that a fully road-homologated version of the 963 was impossible. Porsche would have to completely change the vehicle in order to get it homologated because it is simply too dissimilar from the standards of street cars. Porsche would instead design a unique vehicle that was as similar to the race car as possible and that could receive special permission for extremely restricted road use.
Porsche took the shot.
Naturally, Porsche Penske Motorsport would need to collaborate with Porsche in order to bring the car to life, and the group determined that Roger would be the perfect owner. The initials RSP stand for Roger Searle Penske, the captain’s name.
A new chassis, not a repurposed tub from a race car, was made for the 963 RSP by Porsche Motorsport in Germany. Although the car was assembled at Porsche Cars North America’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, the design work was done by Porsche Exclusiv Manufaktur under designer Grant Larson. To keep the other technicians in the dark, it was being worked on there behind makeshift walls.
Jonathan Diuguid, managing director of Porsche Penske Motorsport, states, “Many suspension and system modifications have been made to make it more tame and more like a road car, while still maintaining the pedigree of the 963 race car.”. Additionally, the restoration team in Atlanta has managed to offer a degree of quality that is completely out of line with the race car. “.”.
This is not to argue that the race cars aren’t Penske-perfect. However, their body panels made of carbon fiber have a rough finish and are only covered in vinyl. Using the same Martini Silver as the Count Rossi 917, PCNA artisans sanded down the carbon fiber bodywork in this instance. In addition, they trimmed the interior in Alcantara to match the 917’s tan, and there are other references to road usability. The steering-wheel grips are leather, and the cup holder is even detachable and 3D printed.
By Porsche.
Additionally, there are some changes to the bodywork. Large vents over the wheel wells are required by racing regulations to keep the car from being blown over in the event of a spin. Porsche designed parts for the RSP that fill in spaces while preserving some airflow. Additionally, front and rear license plates required modifications from the team.
This is still very much a 963 in spite of all the niceties. It comes with a 4P6-liter V-8 twin-turbo engine and a spec hybrid system that includes an electric motor, Bosch power electronics, and an XTrac seven-speed sequential transmission. Fortescue Zero’s 800-volt lithium ion battery is a compact device that attaches to the carbon-fiber tub from below.
The engine is based on the naturally aspirated V-8 found in the Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar, which was an evolution of the 2000s RS Spyder LMP2 vehicle. It was easier to modify for road use than it might have been with a custom racing engine because it shares about 80% of its parts with the 918 Spyder’s engine. However, modifying the V-8 to operate on pump gas presented a considerable calibration difficulty.
In order to make the hybrid system’s deployment more seamless and more appropriate for street driving at low speeds, Porsche Penske Motorsport also made adjustments. Porsche doesn’t provide a power estimate for the 963 RSP, but the race car can produce about 700 horsepower, which can be divided between the V-8 and the hybrid system based on performance balance.
Porsche 963 RSP.
The race cars’ Michelin-tread rain tires, which are mounted on 18-inch OZ wheels, are also used by the 963 RSP. To make the car roadworthy, Porsche adjusted the ride height as high as possible and the dampers to their lowest possible settings, though it is still expected that the ride will be somewhat firm. Yes, the 963 RSP has a horn and turn signals.
To reduce weight, the 917 is renowned for starting on a key that has been drilled out. It’s a little trickier to start the 963; you need a laptop and a race team that understands how the car operates. As Porsche notes, Penske owns a racetrack and a race team, so using the 963 RSP won’t be too tough, but he will need to plan ahead if he wants to exercise the car.
French authorities granted Porsche special permission to drive the car on the roads surrounding Le Mans, and the license plates it is wearing are for prototypes being tested by automakers. Earlier today, Timo Bernhard, a longtime Porsche employee and current brand ambassador, drove the vehicle on the roads close to the circuit alongside the Rossi 917. According to a statement he released, “I will never forget that experience.”. It felt unreal to be driving on a public road while a 917 was next to me. The car was very special and much more comfortable, especially since I didn’t need all of my safety equipment. It also behaved flawlessly, feeling a little friendlier and more forgiving than the typical 963. “.”.
Penske won’t be able to drive the car home for a while. It will first be on exhibit at the Porsche Museum and then at Le Mans. Porsche intends to run it up the hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month. For additional road trips and the last handover to the captain, the vehicle will then travel to California for Monterey Car Week in August.
Porsche does not currently have any specific plans for another roadgoing 963, but that does not preclude the possibility that it will produce one. According to Urs Kuratle, the head of the Porsche LMDh project, “due to the nature of the project, we will obviously not build exactly the same car again, but as I have said before, never say never.”. Porsche prefers to sell cars first, so if there’s a chance to do so again later, why not? However, nothing is planned at this time. “.”.
Therefore, get in contact if you’re interested in one and have a lot of money to spend.
