The distinction between road cars and race cars has become clearer over the years. Particularly at venues like Le Mans, the divergence didn’t begin until the 1960s. Today, the leading contenders in races resemble Formula 1 cars more than typical street vehicles, such as the Porsche 911.
The Porsche 963 RSP represents a significant breakthrough; it is an authentic 963 LMDh car modified slightly for road legality, featuring French license plates. We interviewed the team behind this innovative project.
At last year’s Petit Le Mans, Porsche’s team gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their iconic roadworthy 917. Originally created for Count Rossi, the car was both a race-winning machine and street-legal, even having a license plate from Alabama.
Timo Resch, CEO of Porsche Cars North America, described the moment when a small team decided to imagine a modern homage to the 917. They initiated a discreet project, working under the radar until plans solidified.
They soon realized that creating a road-ready version of the 963 was overly challenging, as it diverged too much from standard street car specifications. Instead, they opted to craft a unique model closely mirroring the race car, securing limited road use permissions.
Porsche collaborated with Porsche Penske Motorsport to bring the vision to life, and the car was named after Roger Penske. The chassis was designed specifically for the RSP, involving a small team at Porsche’s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
While the RSP retains much of its racing essence, several changes were made for better road usability. It features a twin-turbo 4.6-liter V-8 paired with a hybrid system and adapted suspension for a more comfortable drive. Timo Bernhard, a longtime Porsche driver, described driving the car near Le Mans as an unforgettable experience. Following its display at Le Mans, the 963 RSP is set to appear at various events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
