When you are a figure of Roger Penske’s stature – the 88-year-old billionaire owner of the Team Penske racing empire – you command extraordinary automotive creations. This influence is precisely how the Porsche 963 RSP came into existence.
This singular machine, specially built for Penske, represents a rare transformation: a hybrid Le Mans race car designed for street use. Unlike most high-performance Porsches, which are street cars enhanced for racing, the 963 RSP is the inverse. It’s a lightly domesticated race car, retaining its high-revving V-8 engine and core racing soul.
Inspired by an Icon, Crafted for the Street (Sort Of)
The 963 RSP draws its spiritual lineage from a legendary predecessor while navigating complex legalities.
A Homage to the 917
The genesis of the 963 RSP was directly inspired by the iconic Porsche 917. This includes the legendary street-legal 917 racer that Porsche famously built for Count Rossi 50 years ago, in 1975. The 963 RSP is designed to evoke that same spirit of a track beast tamed for public roads.
Navigating Street Legality
The “street-legal” aspect of the 963 RSP is somewhat nuanced. It will be permitted to drive a specific route in France during the prestigious Le Mans race week. Here, it will symbolically meet its spiritual ancestor, Count Rossi’s 917. Once back in the United States, it is anticipated that Penske and Porsche will find a way to navigate the relevant authorities for registration.
Perhaps a small metal scrap in the dash could allow it to be registered as an unexpected vintage vehicle, like a 1982 Porsche 924. Interestingly, the extensive modifications for the 963 RSP were completed in the United States, at the Porsche Classic shop in Atlanta.
Race Car Meets Luxury Interior: The Customization Process
Transforming a raw race machine into a refined, street-ready vehicle required immense expertise and bespoke touches.
Porsche Classic Expertise
Porsche Classic, renowned for its high-end restorations, possessed the precise expertise needed for this unique project. They meticulously transformed the gritty race machine to meet the high expectations of a client whose initials (Roger Penske) are famously embedded in the car’s name. The interior received substantial attention, featuring a wealth of custom leather. Amusingly, a 3-D-printed cupholder was integrated, much to the delight of the German engineers.
While the “DRK” button on the steering wheel (designed for dispensing drinks to the driver in a race scenario) is still present, it is non-functional in the RSP.
Exterior Refinements and Practical Touches
The carbon-fiber body of the 963 RSP underwent extensive work to smooth out the burrs and imperfections commonly found on race cars, which are irrelevant for track performance. The suspension has been softened for a more comfortable ride, and the ride height has been increased. Even the huge holes atop the fenders, characteristic of a race car, have been subtly covered with vents.
Practical additions for street legality include a backup camera, fully functional headlights, taillights, turn signals, and a horn. Despite these domestications, the 963 RSP unequivocally remains a race car at its core; it doesn’t start with a traditional key but rather requires a laptop.
Aesthetic Throwbacks and Future Possibilities
The 963 RSP blends modern racing technology with nostalgic design cues, hinting at potential future projects.
Vintage Design Elements
While the 963 RSP is a fully modern 963, it incorporates several delightful throwback aesthetic touches. The paint, which is a permanent finish rather than a temporary race wrap, is Porsche Martini Silver. This is the exact hue applied to the original 917 back in its heyday. The Michelin tires, though full-wet race versions with deep treads, proudly display 1970s-era logos on their sidewalls. The interior’s color scheme, featuring rich brown leather and Alcantara, directly evokes the luxurious cabin of Count Rossi’s original 917.
Exclusivity and Potential for More
The price of the 963 RSP is, as expected, significantly more than any Porsche available from a dealer. However, it is hopefully less than the exorbitant cost of a genuine 917K race car. Porsche clearly enjoyed undertaking this unique project. Although this particular car is a one-off commission, Porsche is not ruling out similar future creations for other deeply passionate and well-heeled mega-fans.
The question arises: Could this car pave the way for a “963 JAS” for Jerry Seinfeld, for example? Urs Kuratle, Porsche Motorsport director of factory racing, simply stated, “Never say never,” leaving the door open for more incredible bespoke projects in the future.
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