1-of-1 Porsche 963 RSP Breaks Cowl As A Tribute To Penske Forward Of Le Mans 2025

Porsche has as soon as once more redefined what it means to convey a race automobile to the street, and in case you’ve been following our earlier reporting, you’ll do not forget that we anticipated this: a modern-day homage to Roger Penske and the enduring street-driven Porsche 917 commissioned by Depend Rossi within the Nineteen Seventies. At present, that imaginative and prescient involves life as a 1-of-1 Porsche 963 RSP, making its debut on public roads close to Le Mans, France, working alongside the 917 that impressed it.

The 963 RSP, the place the ‘P’ refers to Roger S Penske, is a wild Sonderwunsch creation, born from the DNA of Porsche’s Le Mans-conquering 963 Hypercar. It shares the race-winning spine with the racecar, however wears a singular 917-inspired bodywork, exterior coloration, and a bespoke cabin with classic 70s-style touches. On the wheel throughout its first public outing was none apart from three-time Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard. 

“We’ve got loved a terrific relationship with Porsche courting again to 1972. The Porsche 917/30, particularly, was one of many best eras in Crew Penske’s historical past, with quite a few wins and championships. With such a outstanding partnership persevering with to at the present time, we felt it was time to create probably the most thrilling automobile we may think about. Identical to the 917, I wished this automobile to be genuine to its origin and have as few adjustments to it as potential. Once we bought into the mission, the variations within the two generations of race vehicles offered an important problem. What emerged is a automobile that has misplaced none of its edge and is thrilling whether or not on the monitor or on the street.” – Roger S Penske

The origins of this particular automobile return to a trackside dialog at Street Atlanta between Porsche’s Timo Resch, Thomas Laudenback, and Urs Kratel. What started as a “What if?” finally turned a full-fledged ardour mission that took form with the likes of Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport, and Porsche Automobiles North America collaborating on the mission. 

Exterior highlights embrace the Martini Silver paint, impressed by Depend Rossi’s authentic 917, the black-silver livery wraps that subtly reworked carbon-fiber/kevlar bodywork, enclosed fender vents, and a clear rear wing sans the blanking plates required from racing, with a classic enamel Porsche crest on the nostril.

As a result of it is a monitor automobile for the street, the transformation on the inside is much more dramatic, with luxurious and on a regular basis creature comforts making their method into this in any other case sporty cockpit.  There’s a very good dose of tan leather-based and Alcantara, a cup holder (you learn that proper), a retrimmed steering wheel, a customized stowage panel for a Peltor headset, and a Laptop computer. Even Roger Penske’s customized helmet has an identical Martini Silver end. 

Mechanically, the Hybrid V8 stays true to its racing roots and is predicated on the 918 Spyder’s 4.6-liter engine that produces 680 horsepower, with modified hybrid management mapping calibrated for street use. The powertrain management unit was reprogrammed to permit smoother supply and run on pump fuel, an important tweak for non-track situations.

Different modifications embrace an elevated experience peak to its max setting, the Multimatic DSSV dampers dialed to the softest setting, and reprogrammed lights and switch indicators. Michelin rain-spec tires wrapped round 18-inch solid OZ wheels, a horn, and license plates imply that this automobile is road-legal in France, with the blessing of the French authorities and the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest (ACO), which runs the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The Porsche 963 RSP will likely be displayed through the upcoming Le Mans weekend earlier than heading to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and the Goodwood Competition of Velocity in July. 

Porsche 963 RSP Specs

Supply: Porsche