As Porsche prepares for the upcoming 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans, they have unleashed the 963 RSP, a one-off ROAD LEGAL version of the IMSA and WEC champion, the 963 Hyper car. The 963 RSP takes direct inspiration from the 1975 917 and has made its public debut on the street near the Circuit de la Sarthe.

The road-legal 963 RSP is a collaboration between Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche Cars North America, and Roger Penske, whose initials form the name of the car (RSP).

In April 1975, Chassis number 30 of the 917 made history not on the track but on the road when it traveled from the factory in Zuffenhausen to Paris and remains on the road today in France.

The car was a passion project of a small team at Penske and Porsche, and they took inspiration from that story to create the 963 RSP with the same ethos of creating a race car for the streets that pushed to the very limit what “road legal” meant.

The 963 RSP features significant changes from the 963 Race Car, including being the first of its kind to be painted, a unique challenge as most race cars are wrapped due to the nature of the carbon fiber and Kevlar® bodywork, which is ultra-thin in some places to save weight.

To honor the Count Rossi 917, the 963 RSP is finished in Martini Silver and features altered bodywork and a bespoke tan leather and Alcantara interior inspired by the trim choices made by Count Rossi 50 years ago.

The 963 RSP also features a unique electronic setup to aid in street driving, including a raised ride height, softened dampers, and a reprogrammed control unit to allow for headlights and tailights to operate as a “normal” street car.

The 963 RSP will be on display at the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans before returning to Stuttgart to be displayed at the Porsche Museum. The car will also appear alongside the 917 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.

Design Process - Exterior

Once the concept was established, the Sonderwunsch team in Zuffenhausen collaborated with the Sonderwunsch team at Porsche Classic in Atlanta to bring the concept to life. Grant Larson, Director of Special Projects at Style Porsche, and the designers wanted to honor the 1975 917 by using the same silver and black color palette on the outside, and a tan leather and Alcantara mix for the interior.

The paint to sample color, ‘Martini Silver’, was verified from the records held by the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and was applied with a triple-layer lacquer. Minor components such as the hinges and wing connectors are all finished in satin black with a 3D printed ‘963 RSP’ applied to the rear of the car.

The team wanted to mirror the 917 as closely as possible, so bodywork changes included the creation of unique fender vents, whereas on the race car, the front and rear fender vents would be open. Additionally, the carbon fiber blanking plates within the rear wing were removed for the 963 RSP but are required for racing.

The front of the car receives an enamel Porsche badge, just as the 917 did. In contrast, typical 963s use a graphic badge to save on weight.

Design Process- Interior

The most significant departure from the 963 race car is within the interior, where the team followed the lead of the entirely handcrafted and bespoke interior of the 917 with a mix of soft tan leather and Alcantara. The single-piece carbon seat is trimmed in leather, featuring soft cushioning placed down the center, and a fixed headrest mounted on the carbon fiber bulkhead. The seats also share the same air conditioning feature as the race car.

The leg cushions in the footwell, roof lining, and pillars are retrimmed in light Alcantara while the steering wheel is finished in leather. There is even a light-hearted 3D-printed cup holder that holds a Porsche travel mug for the long road journeys.

The doors are finished in leather and Alcantara and feature a small alloy plaque that denotes the chassis number and the date and location of construction.

Mechanical Changes

The ride height of the car was raised to its maximum setting to accommodate road conditions. At the same time, the adjustable Multimatic DSSV dampers that are designed for racing are set to their softest setting to create a more comfortable ride.

The control unit was modified to enable the car to use turn signals and adjust the headlights for road conditions. The hybrid V8 powertrain, which can run on electric power only, has remained unchained from the 963 to ensure that the 963 RSP is as close to the 963 race cars as possible. However, the power delivery from the MGU has been remapped to provide smoother delivery for the road.

Lastly, the powertrain was remapped to be capable of running on pump gas, which happened to be one of the most significant undertakings for the team.

“That was an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime. 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.”

-Timo Bernhard, who was at the wheel of the 963 RSP for its first miles on the road.