Porsche has revealed a one-off, road-going version of its championship-winning LMDh car, named the 963 RSP.
According to Porsche, the project came through a collaboration between Porsche, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Porsche Cars North America (PCNA).
“The 917 from the story was every inch a race car – albeit one driven on the road – and we took the same approach with the 963 RSP.
Minor components, such as hinges and wing connectors, are finished in satin black, while a 3D-printed ‘963 RSP’ badge was applied to the rear.
Finally, a number of mechanical modifications needed to be made to ensure the 963 RSP would be capable of taking on public roads.
Porsche has unveiled the 963 RSP, a unique road-going version of its championship-winning LMDh vehicle.
The 963 RSP, a heavily modified version of the Multimatic-chassised LMDh car honouring the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of a road legal version of the 917 that won back-to-back editions of the French endurance classic in 1970 and 1971, was unveiled on Friday ahead of next week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the car will be on display.
The car is named for and built for Roger Searle Penske, an 88-year-old former racer and team owner who leads the organization that is a part of the Porsche Penske Motorsport team. The letter “RSP” in the car’s name stands for Roger Searle Penske.
With two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard behind the wheel, the vehicle made its debut during a promotional run on public roads close to the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans.
Porsche claims that Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA), and Porsche came together to create the project.
The idea came about during a meeting at Michelin Raceway Road in Atlanta between PCNA president and CEO Timo Resch, Porsche Motorsport vice president Thomas Laudenbach, and Porsche Penske Motorsport LMDh factory director Urs Kuratle.
The project was then further developed, and Penske was nominated as the car’s customer after the three presented the concept to Jonathan Diuguid, managing director of Porsche Penske Motorsport at the time.
“This truly began as a ‘what if?’ – a passion project by a small group of enthusiasts at Penske and Porsche who collectively envisioned a 963 that truly resembled as closely as possible the spirit and appearance of the Count Rossi 917,” Resch said.
We used the same strategy with the 963 RSP as the 917 in the story, which was essentially a race car even though it was driven on the road. It is still very much a race car underneath, despite using exquisite materials of the highest caliber. “”.
Extensive modifications were necessary to make the 963 road-legal, but the aim was to create a vehicle that paid as much homage to the original road-legal 917 as possible.
This makes it the first 963 to be painted instead of wrapped. The paint-to-sample color, “Martini Silver,” was applied using a triple-layer lacquer and confirmed from records kept by the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
A 3D-printed “963 RSP” badge was affixed to the back, and minor parts like hinges and wing connectors are finished in satin black.
Additional bodywork modifications include the addition of an enamel Porsche badge on the nose, mounting points for the front and rear license plates, the removal of the carbon fiber wing blanking plates needed for the race car, and the construction of distinctive fender vents.
Meanwhile, the interior was completely renovated, with a combination of alcantara and tan leather used on the steering wheel, pillars, roof lining, seat, and leg cushions.
A detachable, 3D-printed cup holder has been added by engineers as a custom touch.
In order for the 963 RSP to be able to travel on public roads, a number of mechanical changes necessary.
To make the ride more compliant, the adjustable Multimatic DSSV were set to their softest setting and the ride height was increased to the highest possible setting.
In order to enable the car to use turn signals and adjust the headlights for road conditions, engineers also made modifications to the control unit.
These modifications, along with the addition of a horn, Michelin wet weather compound tires, and altered bodywork to cover the wheel arches, made sure the vehicle complied with license plate requirements.
Regarding the powertrain, the MGU’s power delivery has been remapped to produce a smoother delivery that is better suited for driving. Remapping, which has been called a “significant undertaking,” was also necessary to enable the power train to run on pump gas. “”.
Prior to its return to the Porsche Museum, the vehicle will be on exhibit at the Circuit de La Sarthe during the Le Mans event. In July, it will make an appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside the 917 that served as its inspiration.
Porsche has stated that even though the 963 RSP is authorized for use on public roads, it is not a certified addition to its lineup and is meant to be a one-off.
