Porsche’s 963 Hypercar takes to the streets
One-off Porsche 963 RSP is a road-going version of the Le Mans Hypercar
Painted in the same Martini Silver as Count Rossi’s 917 road car from 1975. Around 80% of the engine components are shared with the 918 Spyder
Porsche AG
Is that a road car?
Technically it is… ish. Meet the Porsche 963 RSP, a one-off version of the brand’s current 963 Le Mans Hypercar. Designed to, only just, meet road-going specifications, and then only if you live in France.
Wait, what?
There’s a lot of work involved in taking a cutting-edge racing prototype and making it road legal. Porsche couldn’t get the entire thing approved and homologated, so the car can currently only be driven in France due to special permission given by the local authorities. It’s fitting given the backstory…
Leather and Alcantara
Porsche AG
Which is?
Fifty years ago Count Rossi di Montelera – of the Rossi distillery family – set Porsche a challenge to turn its 917 into a road car for him. In 1975, Rossi drove the machine from the Zuffenhausen factory and straight to Paris, where it is still road registered.
This is some dream car…
It really is! The idea came from a chat between Porsche’s North American CEO and the top brass from the company’s motor sport sector. They took the concept to Roger Penske, who oversees the factory Hypercar programme, and he jumped at the chance. A team consisting of Porsche Penske Motorsport, Sonderwunsch (special request) factory staff and Porsche Classic engineers then banded together.
Count Rossi’s 917 and Roger Penske’s 963 – both unique.
Porsche AG
OK, so what’s different?
Beneath the skin is a 963 chassis, with the same 4.6-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8. The bodywork is still carbon fibre and as close to the race car’s as possible while allowing for licence plates. The ride height has been raised, the suspension softened and the engine converted to run on regular pump fuel. It still pushes out 671bhp.
Is that a cup holder?
The biggest change is the interior, which Porsche has re-trimmed in leather and Alcantara. There’s air-con, a carbon seat, a compartment to house the steering wheel and a helmet, and a 3D-printed cup holder.
Can I buy one?
For once, no. Roger Penske put himself down as the sole customer for this, hence the RSP name: Roger Searle Penske. Due to the difficulties in achieving road homologation, don’t expect many more to be built soon. The result is one of the rarest cars Porsche will ever build.