Porsche 963 RSP

 As Porsche prepares for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a sister to the 963 Hypercar has been revealed - named the 963 RSP. An extreme one-off based on the IMSA championship and WEC championship winning machine, the car closely follows the design direction taken by a very special 917 50 years ago. Fittingly, it made its debut today on the streets near the Circuit de la Sarthe alongside the car that inspired its creation.

The work of a team from Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Porsche Cars North America in partnership with motorsport legend Roger Penske, whose initials form the name of the car, the 963 RSP was influenced by the trailblazing 917 and an audacious drive that took place half a century ago.

In April 1975, a 917 (chassis 30) - the most advanced endurance race car at that time - made an extraordinary journey, not on the track, but on public roads. From the factory in Zuffenhausen, it travelled to Paris - at the wheel was its enigmatic owner, who insisted on as few changes as possible to the car, which remains in France, and on the road, to this day.

"This really started out as a "what if?" - a passion project by a small team of enthusiasts at Penske and at Porsche who together imagined a version of the 963 that really resembled as closely as possible the spirit and appearance of the Count Rossi 917," said Porsche Cars North America President and CEO Timo Resch, who conceived of the original idea. "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. It uses beautiful materials of the best quality available, but is still every bit a race car underneath."

The 963 RSP features significant changes over the car on which it is based. Unlike the competition race cars, which are wrapped in different colours, the 963 RSP is the first of its kind to be painted; a unique challenge due to the nature of the carbon fibre and Kevlar® bodywork which is ultra-thin in places to save weight. In a nod to the Count Rossi 917, the 963 RSP is finished in Martini Silver and features uniquely altered bodywork and a bespoke tan leather and Alcantara interior inspired by the trim choices made by Count Rossi 50 years ago.

A dedicated mechanical and electronic set-up were configured for its debut on the streets near Le Mans - including a raised ride height and softened dampers, as well as a reprogrammed control unit to allow for the headlights and taillights to operate closer to those of a road car. These changes along with modified bodywork to cover the wheel arches, the use of Michelin wet weather compound tyres and even the fitment of a horn meant the car met the necessary criteria to be allowed to drive on the road and wear number plates under special permission from the French authorities and with the enthusiastic support of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), which runs the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.