As Porsche gears up for another assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the brand has revealed a stunning one-off creation: the Porsche 963 RSP.
Text: Luca W. © Images: Porsche ©
- Sharpened silhouette: when aero meets the open road
- The Porsche 963 RSP’s racing DNA with GT flair
- One-off statement, never for sale
- Porsche 963 RSP wallpapers
Built as a road-going homage to the legendary 917 “Count Rossi” from exactly 50 years ago, the RSP blends past and future into a rolling tribute to Porsche’s racing soul. Unveiled near the Le Mans circuit alongside its 917 predecessor, it’s a radical expression of Porsche’s “Sonderwunsch” program — bespoke craftsmanship taken to the extreme.
Sharpened silhouette: when aero meets the open road
While the RSP shares its core DNA with the Porsche 963 Hypercar competing in WEC and IMSA, its execution diverges sharply. For starters, the car’s body is fully painted in a special “Martini Silver” finish drawn from Porsche’s museum archives. A rare feature given the composite bodywork of the 963, which blends carbon fiber and Kevlar.
To make it road-legal(ish), several key modifications were required: partially enclosed front and rear wheel arches, reworked air outlets, and mounting points for number plates. A traditional enamel Porsche crest replaces the usual motorsport decal, evoking the spirit of the golden age of prototypes. The chassis setup was also softened — ride height raised, Multimatic DSSV suspension retuned, Michelin rain tires fitted, and even a horn added. All this on a hybrid prototype that still develops over 680 hp. And yes — it wears a licence plate.
The Porsche 963 RSP’s racing DNA with GT flair
The cabin of the 963 RSP is where the transformation truly shows. Gone is the stripped-out race interior; in its place, a bespoke design inspired by Count Rossi’s legendary 917. Saddle brown leather meets light Alcantara in a hand-stitched composition. Floor mats, door panels, headliner: everything has been retrimmed, softening the brutalism of a purebred endurance racer.
Some touches are almost playful: a 3D-printed cupholder, a compartment for a Peltor helmet, even a start-up laptop nestled discreetly in a console slot. The steering wheel retains its complex hybrid controls but is now wrapped in leather. The result is a striking balance: not quite a grand tourer, but not a bare-bones race car either. It’s the closest we’ve seen to a street-legal Le Mans prototype with creature comforts.
One-off statement, never for sale
The 963 RSP was born not of commercial intent but of passion. The car is not for sale, nor is it road-homologated in the traditional sense. Yet, with a special “W” temporary plate (French), it did cruise on public roads of Le Mans in France during its reveal.
Power comes from the same 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8 as the 963 race car, derived from the RS Spyder and 918 Spyder lineage, paired with an 800-volt hybrid system from Bosch and Williams Advanced Engineering. The powertrain was recalibrated for smoother hybrid engagement and compatibility with pump fuel, yet it retains the explosive nature of its endurance origins.
After its Le Mans debut, the RSP will head to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart before appearing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s more than a collector’s item: it’s a design manifesto on wheels, saluting a racing icon while pointing toward the future of bespoke performance.
Porsche 963 RSP wallpapers
