Porsche Showcases Road-Going Version of 963 Racecar Ahead of 24 Hours of Le Mans
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In preparation for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, Porsche unveiled the 963 RSP, a one-off, road-legal version of its IMSA and WEC championship-winning 963 Le Mans racecar.
The 963 RSP celebrates 50 years since the creation of Count Rossi’s street-legal 917, a road-going version of Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 917 racecar, which originally debuted in 1975. Both cars were showcased on the streets near Circuit de la Sarthe, where the 24-hour race is run.
The idea behind the RSP project was to make a road-going version of the 963 racecar with the fewest changes possible, just like Porsche did with the Count Rossi 917.
Like Rossi’s Porsche, the 963 RSP is painted in Martini Silver, which was reproduced by referencing the automaker’s own archives. This was a surprisingly tricky part of the build because the car's thin carbon fibre body panels are very hard to paint. As a result, most modern racecars get a wrap instead of a traditional paint job.
Other changes include a raised ride height, softer dampers, and a reprogrammed control unit to allow the RSP’s lights to comply with roadcar lighting regulations, which includes the addition of turn signals. The RSP also receives a very important roadcar feature: a horn.
Much like Rossi’s 917, the 963 RSP receives a bespoke road-car interior, with Alcantara-lined surfaces and leather seats. To drive on public roads, the 963 RSP is specifically fitted with Michelin wet weather compound tires.
Crucially, the one-off keeps the same racing powertrain as the 963 racecar, a 4.6L V8 hybrid unit producing 680 hp, though it has been remapped to make it a little more civilized around town. Making the powertrain roadworthy wasn’t as big of a challenge as it could have been because roughly 80 per cent of its components are shared with the one that powered the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder.
All these changes mean the 963 RSP can be legally plated under special permission from the French authorities.
