Porsche has as soon as once more redefined what it means to deliver a race automobile to the highway, 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 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 colour, 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 now have loved a terrific relationship with Porsche courting again to 1972. The Porsche 917/30, specifically, was one of many best eras in Crew Penske’s historical past, with quite a few wins and championships. With such a exceptional partnership persevering with to at the present time, we felt it was time to create essentially the most thrilling automobile we might think about. Similar to the 917, I wished this automobile to be genuine to its origin and have as few modifications to it as doable. Once we received into the challenge, the variations within the two generations of race vehicles offered a terrific problem. What emerged is a automobile that has misplaced none of its edge and is thrilling whether or not on the observe or on the highway. – Roger S Penske
The origins of this particular automobile return to a trackside dialog at Highway Atlanta between Porsche’s Timo Resch, Thomas Laudenback, and Urs Kratel. What started as a “What if?” finally grew to become a full-fledged ardour challenge that took form with the likes of Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport, and Porsche Automobiles North America collaborating on the challenge.
Exterior highlights embody the Martini Silver paint, impressed by Depend Rossi’s unique 917, the black-silver livery wraps that subtly reworked carbon-fiber 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 this can be a observe automobile for the highway, 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 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, now calibrated for highway use. Different modifications embody an elevated trip peak to its max setting, softer dampers, and reprogrammed lights. Michelin wet-compliant tires, a horn, and license plates imply that this automobile is road-legal in France, with the blessing of the ACO.
The Porsche 963 RSP shall be displayed in the course of the upcoming Le Mans weekend earlier than heading to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and the Goodwood Competition of Velocity in July.
Supply: Porsche
