Latest news with #963RSP
Man of Many
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Porsche Just Built a One-of-a-Kind V8 963 Hypercar
By Somnath Chatterjee - News Published: 18 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 5 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Porsche has unveiled the 963 RSP , a one-off street-legal version of the 917 racing car that dominated motorsports across eras. , a one-off street-legal version of the 917 racing car that dominated motorsports across eras. The hypercar was built to mark 50 years since Count Rossi drove the Porsche 917 from Zuffenhausen to Paris. It comes with a hybrid V8 powertrain with roots to the 918 Spyder, alongside a 917-inspired paint job. with roots to the 918 Spyder, alongside a 917-inspired paint job. The Porsche 963 RSP was built for Roger Penske and could well be the most expensive Porsche ever made. Porsche is not playing around. This week, the fabled German automaker sent a stern message to the global high-performance market, unveiling a thinly disguised road-legal version of its extreme 963 hybrid Le Mans race car. Built for billionaire racing team owner Roger Penske, this is a one-of-a-kind ride is, aside from being the ultimate flex in the ALDI parking lot, inspired by the equally bonkers and iconic 917. '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,' Porsche Cars North America president and CEO Timo Resch said. '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.' Porsche 963 RSP | Image: Porsche A racecar, indeed. The ultra-unique 963 RSP model was reportedly developed as a sort of skunkworks project, with the ethos to stay as close to the original car as possible. Unbelievably, the hybrid V8 powertrain, which comes with a lithium-ion battery, continues to remain in race tune in the 963 RSP. The 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 dishes up 680 hp and originated in the RS Spyder race program operated by Penske. As Porsche fanatics may remember, that same engine, in an enlarged form, was used in the 918 hypercar; however, where the 918 Spyder used the engine in naturally aspirated form, the 963 pairs it with two turbochargers provided by the Dutch manufacturer Van der Lee. Hence, the acceleration is violent and has nearly the same intensity as that of the race car. Crazy. Porsche 963 RSP interior | Image: Porsche With so much additional acceleration power, Porsche has understandably remapped the ECU for a (relatively) smoother power delivery, while also modifying the control unit to use headlights and indicators. Of course, if you want to drive a racing car on the road, the ride height must be increased, and the same has been done here with the adjustable Multimatic DSSV dampers. These handy additions are generally reserved for racing prototypes and in this setting, have been tuned to their softest setting. According to Porsche, this creates a more compliant ride, one that will leave your spine intact next time you go on the morning coffee run. Make no mistake, this is not a Panamera but a true hardcore machine, and the driving experience has been kept as uncorrupted as possible. Porsche 963 RSP | Image: Porsche The same goes for the design, which looks stunning, especially when clad in this 'Martini Silver' hue, which matches the 917, and it is not a wrap. To add a contrast effect, some of the components have been painted in satin black with a 3D printed '963 RSP' logo being applied to the rear of the car. The 963 RSP does have some changes over the 963, including fender vents and carbon fibre blanking plates that sit within the rear wing. To further bring it closer to the 917, the Porsche logo is enamel and not a graphic, along with 1970s-era Michelin logos for the tire walls with 18-inch tyres. Compared to the 963, the road car is far more luxurious on the inside and comes with a lovely tan interior, while the single-piece carbon seat comes trimmed in leather, no less. There is even a detachable 3D-printed cup holder, which means it is quite a practical Porsche, although luggage space is questionable. Porsche 963 RSP | Image: Porsche 'We have enjoyed a terrific relationship with Porsche dating back to 1972. The Porsche 917/30 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,' Roger Penske, chairman of the Penske Corporation said. 'With such a remarkable partnership continuing to this day, we felt it was time to create the most exciting car we could imagine. Just like the 917, I wanted this car to be authentic to its origin and have as few changes to it as possible. When we got into the project, the differences in the two generations of race cars provided a great challenge. What emerged is a car that has lost none of its edge and is exciting whether on the track or on the road.' Porsche has not revealed just how much the 963 RSP costs, but for a one-off like this, you can expect the price tag to mirror the 917. In all likelihood, the Porsche 963 RSP price could run into millions, making it one of the most expensive Porsches ever built. We're just glad such a ludicrous thing exists. Porsche 963 RSP | Image: Porsche Porsche 963 RSP | Image: Porsche
New Straits Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- New Straits Times
Porsche unveils one-of-a-kind 963 RSP
A one-of-a-kind 963 RSP, unveiled last week by Porsche AG, is a street-legal road car derived from the formidable 963 LMDh Le Mans prototype. The car is a tribute to motorsport legend Roger Penske, whose initials form the name of the car. The 963 RSP was influenced by the trailblazing 917 and an audacious drive that took place half a century ago. It made its debut on the streets near the Circuit de la Sarthe alongside the car that inspired its creation. A team from Porsche, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Porsche Cars North America worked in partnership with Penske as they prepared the car for the 24 hours of Le Mans. "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 chief executive officer Timo Resch. Resch, who conceived of the original idea, said the 917 from the story was every inch a race car, albeit one driven on the road. "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," he added. The 963 RSP features significant changes over the car on which it is based. Unlike the competition racecars, which are wrapped in different colours, the 963 RSP is the first of its kind to be painted; a unique challenge due to the nature of the carbon fiber and Kevlar bodywork which is ultra-thin in places to save weight. 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. A dedicated mechanical and electronic setup were 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. These changes along with modified bodywork to cover the wheel arches, 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 and wear licence plates under special permission from the French authorities and with the enthusiastic support of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which runs the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. "That was an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime," said Timo Bernhard, who was at the wheel of the 963 RSP for its first miles 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." Penske, who is chairman of Penske Corp, said it had 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. "With such a remarkable partnership continuing to this day, we felt it was time to create the most exciting car we could imagine," he added. Penske said just like the 917, he had wanted this car to be authentic to its origin and have as few changes to it as possible. "When we got into the project, the differences in the two generations of race cars provided a great challenge. What emerged is a car that has lost none of its edge and is exciting whether on the track or on the road," Penske said. The 963 RSP was on public display at the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans before returning to Stuttgart to be shown at the Porsche Museum. In July, the car will appear alongside the 917 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Car and Driver
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Kremer K3 and Other Famous Le Mans-Spec Porsches for the Street
The 963 RSP is just the latest in a long line of Le Mans-spec Porsches taking to the public roads. Whether it's the roar of a flat-12 or the hiss of turbocharged boost, these cars are monstrously powerful. Here are three of the best to escape the bounds of the Circuit de la Sarthe. Part of the great charm of the Circuit de la Sarthe, where the 24 Hours of Le Mans is held each year, is that sections of the course are actually public roads. You see the top-level endurance racing monsters roaring around, the twilight of early dawn just beginning, and you can't help but wonder what it would be like if one of these beasts should escape the circuit and be driven on the road. It's a thrilling thought, and it seems to happen pretty consistently. The latest Le Mans race car for the road is the Porsche 963 RSP built specially as a one-off for Roger Penske. It's a wonderful machine, but it does come with an asterisk, as driving it in France is restricted to a set route. How street-legal it'll be back in the United States is up for some debate, though someone like Roger Penske has pretty effective leverage. Porsche And this isn't the first time a Le Mans-grade Porsche has been released onto the road. In fact, the 963 RSP is part of something of a tradition of racing-spec Stuttgart endurance racers hitting the public tarmac. Here's a look at three times it has happened before. Count Rossi's Porsche 917K In 1974, Count Gregorio Rossi di Montelera arrived at the factory gates of Porsche with an unusual request. One year earlier, Porsche had released the monstrously powerful 917/30 as the final iteration of the 917 available, and the automaker was moving into experimenting with a different chassis for racing. Might one of those old racing 917s be available for conversion to street specifications? Porsche Yes, one was: specifically, test chassis 030, as used for shaking down the then-new anti-lock braking systems. It had qualified in an Austrian endurance race but had been sitting around in storage since then. Porsche removed the fins and fitted a huge muffler to try to keep the 5.0-liter flat-12 to a bearable roar, the interior was covered in tan leather, and side mirrors were added. Porsche Were the European authorities ready to accept this barely modified racing machine as street-legal fare? They were not. Instead, Count Rossi somehow managed to talk officials in Alabama into sending him a registration as an antique vehicle. So-equipped, he hopped in the car and drove a 620-hp, sub-2000-pound race car from Stuttgart to Paris. What a hero. Walter Wolf's Kremer K3 Le Mans Speaking of heroes, the 1979 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was abuzz with the presence of actor and racer Paul Newman in the pits. Part of the Dick Barbour racing team campaigning a turbocharged 935, Newman very nearly won the race, but a stuck wheel nut meant a second-place finish. The winning car was a Porsche 935 prepared by the Kremer brothers of Cologne, Germany. Kremer Racing That same year saw Walter Wolf winding down his F1 racing efforts and looking for new adventures. If you've not come across Wolf before, he's basically the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World, but for real. He came up from post-war poverty to multimillionaire status, starting as a diver on deep-sea oil rigs. He once won a Ferrari on a handshake bet with Enzo on the outcome of the 1977 Monaco Grand Prix. He's the reason the Lamborghini Countach got its wing and huge rear tires. He even had his own cologne. After owning a series of prototype Countach models, Wolf saw the results of the '79 Le Mans and thought one of those 935 K3s sounded like a pretty good commuter. So he commissioned one, complete with a full leather interior and air conditioning. It rode higher than the factory racers and ran on shaved wet-weather tires rather than full slicks. It ran a turbocharged flat-six that made 740 horsepower at 8000 rpm. Kremer Racing Eight years before the Ferrari F40 debuted, the Kremer K3 went 210 mph on the unrestricted autobahn. Wolf said that he used to have a small aircraft fly ahead with spares when he drove between Cologne and his home in the south of France, as it would burn through a set of rear tires on the trip. Schuppan Porsche 962LM In 1984, Australian/British racing driver Vern Schuppan won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 956. At the same time, he won the All Japan Endurance Championship in, you guessed it, Japan. Soon enough, he had set up his own racing team and was building a carbon-fiber variant of the 962, the 956's successor. One day, a Japanese racing enthusiast inquired if a road-legal version might be possible. It was, and here it is. Boutsen Classic Cars Built in 1991, the 962LM received a carbon-fiber chassis and used a turbocharged flat-six with quad cams and four valves per cylinder. It made around 600 horsepower, slightly detuned from the racing variant but plenty for punting its approximately 2000-pound curb weight down a billiard-table-smooth Japanese freeway. Boutsen Classic Cars Schuppan planned to sell multiples of the 962LM and the more GT-styled 962CR that followed, but the financial state of things in the early 1990s was more than a little wobbly. A handful were built, and this 1991 example was quite famously pictured parked up on street plates in front of one of Japan's ubiquitous Family Mart convenience stores. Pure Le Mans, totally street legal. Brendan McAleer Contributing Editor Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. Read full bio
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Porsche 963 RSP unveiled as a street-ready hypercar based on Le Mans LMDh racer
The 963 RSP carries over much of the design and structure from the LMDh race car, including its carbon-fibre monocoque and aerodynamic profile Check Offers Porsche 963 RSP, a one-off road-legal prototype derived from its 963 LMDh endurance race car, has been unveiled globally. Developed to mark 50 years since the Porsche 917 driven by Count Rossi, the 963 RSP is a hybrid between a race machine and a road car. While registered for use on public roads—complete with French license plates—the car maintains its race-focused engineering and retains the core of its original competition chassis. It is scheduled to appear at major automotive events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and Monterey Car Week. Porsche 963 RSP: Design The 963 RSP carries over much of the design and structure from the LMDh race car, including its carbon-fibre monocoque and aerodynamic profile. To comply with road regulations, certain modifications were made, such as closing off the wheel well vents and raising the ride height. Turn signals, number plate mounts, and other legally required elements were added. Also Read : Porsche adjusts electrification strategy with job cuts and lower sales targets The car runs on Michelin rain-spec tyres mounted on 18-inch OZ Racing wheels. These changes were aimed at ensuring legal compliance while keeping the car visually and functionally close to its racing counterpart. Porsche 963 RSP: Cabin The cabin is kept minimalist and performance-focused. The only FIA-approved racing seat, equipped with a six-point harness, is available. Alcantara and leather are selectively utilized, and the only concessions to day-to-day useability are on the steering wheel with leather grips and a 3D-printed cup holder that can be installed or removed. Standard comfort or convenience features found in production road cars are largely absent. The startup process still requires a technician and a laptop, reflecting the vehicle's original motorsport purpose. Also Read : Porsche 911 Spirit 70 unveiled at Shanghai Auto Show as homage to the '70s era Porsche 963 RSP: Specifications Underneath the bodywork, the 963 RSP is powered by a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, originally developed for the 918 Spyder. This is paired with an 800-volt hybrid system that includes a Bosch motor and Fortescue Zero battery. Power is delivered through a 7-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox. While Porsche has not released detailed performance figures, the setup is designed for high output and rapid throttle response, consistent with the car's racing origins. Suspension tuning has been tweaked for road driving, but the mechanical setup is similar to the track model. The 963 RSP won't see series production. It remains a singular car aimed at proving the crossover between racing and road applicability of technology, as well as a historical nod within the endurance racing heritage of Porsche. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 12 Jun 2025, 08:51 AM IST
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Porsche Unveil Road Legal Version Of Their Le Mans Hypercar
Porsche Unveil Road Legal Version Of Their Le Mans Hypercar. Porsche have unveiled a one-off road legal version of their Le Mans hypercar, the 963 RSP. Revealed on the streets surrounding Le Mans, the car pays homage to the iconic 917 'Kurzheck' road car driven through France 50 years ago. The initials RSP nod to legendary motorsport figure Roger S. Penske, whose involvement was key to the project's realisation. In April 1975, Count Gregorio Rossi drove his privately owned Porsche 917 (chassis 030) from the company's Zuffenhausen base to Paris. Porsche marked the 50th anniversary of that unconventional adventure by recreating the moment with the all-new 963 RSP driving alongside the original 917. Despite being based on an uncompromising racing car, the 963 RSP has been adapted for limited road use. Ride height was raised, dampers softened, and the control unit modified to operate road-legal lighting and indicators. The hybrid powertrain – a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 paired with an electric motor – remains unchanged from the race version, though tuning adjustments were made to enable the car to run on conventional fuel and deliver smoother power for road use. The 963 RSP will be on display during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, before heading to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
