Porsche unveils 963 RSP. It's a road version of the Le Mans racer
The Circuit de la Sarthe, like every year, hosted the world's most famous race - Le Mans 24h. Among the cars competing for the highest trophy were a pair of Porsche 963s from the Penske racing team. A few days ago, Porsche presented the road version of the car - the 963 RSP, raising the blood pressure of many motorsport fans.
In April 1975, a Porsche 917 with bodywork no. 30 rolled out of the factory on its own wheels towards Paris. The car belonged to Count Girolamo Rossi di Montelery – a high-ranking manager at Martini & Rossi. Although slightly different from the original racing model, this exceptional example still drives on French roads, and was the inspiration for the creation of the unique Porsche 963 RSP.
Porsche 963 RSP / press materialsBoth the classic 917 and the modern 963 RSP are painted in the iconic Martini Silver. There are more similarities: the interiors of both models are finished in light brown leather, and in the case of the new 963 – also in Alcantara.
However, the modern design had to take into account homologation and practical requirements: modified headlights, higher suspension with softer Multimatic shock absorbers and a simplified bodywork with fewer aerodynamic openings.
Porsche 917 and 963 RSP / press materialsRSP – this is not a random abbreviation. It refers to Roger S. Penske, a racing legend and owner of one of the most successful teams in the history of motorsport.
It was Team Penske drivers who raced half a century ago behind the wheel of Porsche 917/30s. Today, Roger Penske has been chosen by Porsche as a customer and ambassador for the unique 963 RSP model.
Porsche 917 and 963 RSP / press materialsThe heart of the Porsche 963 is a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, supported by a hybrid system. The 4.6-litre combustion unit generates around 680 hp, and its roots go back to the legendary RS Spyder model from 2008, which competed in the LMP2 class of the American Le Mans series – in Team Penske colours, of course.
Porsche 963 RSP / press materialsThe electric system – supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering (of Formula 1 fame) – has a capacity of just 1.35 kWh, but its job is to support acceleration. All that power goes to 18-inch forged wheels, shod with modern Michelin tyres adorned with a retro 1970s logo.
Porsche 963 RSP / press materialsIn addition to its presentation at this year's Le Mans, the car will also appear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed , from where it will travel, perhaps on wheels, to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
