Porsche has debuted a unique road-going Porsche 963 RSP on public roads near Le Mans ahead of the 2025 edition of the race.
Three-time Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard drove the car for its first appearance, as part of a road run alongside the famous “Count Rossi” 917 (pictured below), which the new special edition 963 is inspired by.
The 963 RSP project is a one-off commission created for and named after Roger Penske, whose team operates Porsche’s factory Hypercar and GTP cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The RSP was designed and developed by Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Porsche Cars North America in partnership with Roger Penske, 50 years on from the 917’s debut as a road car.
“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 from the race car. 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, with a single-piece carbon seat.
A dedicated mechanical and electronic setup was 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.
To better align the 963 with the form of the 917, bodywork changes were also made to the 963 RSP. These include unique fender vents and the carbon fiber blanking plates that sit within the rear wing – a requirement on the race car – were able to be removed for the 963 RSP.
Added to the nose of the car – replacing the graphic that is applied to all conventional 963s – was an enamel Porsche badge, a detail shared with the 917.
The ride height of the car was raised to its maximum available setting to accommodate road use, while the adjustable Multimatic DSSV dampers designed for racing prototypes are in their softest setting to create a more compliant ride.
The control unit was modified to allow the car to operate turn signals and allow the headlights to be adjusted for road. The hybrid 4.6-liter V8 powertrain with a lithium-ion battery – capable of being run on electrical power only – remains in standard race tune in the 963 RSP, but power delivery from the MGU has been remapped to provide smooth delivery more appropriate for road use versus race competition.
The powertrain has also been remapped to be capable of running on pump gas – a significant undertaking for the team.
These changes, along with the use of Michelin wet weather compound tires and even the fitment of a horn, meant the car met the necessary criteria to be allowed to drive on the road with license plates under special permission from the French authorities and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.
“That was an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime,” said Bernhard, after taking the 963 RSP for its first trip on the road. “Driving down a public road with a 917 beside me – it felt unreal. The car behaved perfectly – it felt a little friendlier and more forgiving than the normal 963 – and felt super special and a lot more comfortable, especially as I was not needing all my safety gear.”
The 963 RSP will go on public display at the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans before it returns to Stuttgart to be shown at the Porsche Museum. In July, the car will appear alongside the 917 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
“We have enjoyed a terrific relationship with Porsche dating back to 1972. The Porsche 917/30, in particular, was one of the greatest eras in Team Penske history with numerous wins and championships, along with the closed-course speed record set by Mark Donohue in 1975,” said Roger Penske, chairman of the Penske Corporation.
