Porsche 963 RSP takes to the road in Martini Silver paint
Built for racing but registered for life beyond it here comes the 963 RSP in Martini Silver paint. This one-off model features customised body panels and a refined interior with light brown leather and Alcantara, inspired by the materials Count Rossi chose for his 917 over 50 years ago.
From Zuffenhausen to Paris
In April 1975, a 917 (chassis 30) the most advanced endurance race car at that time which made an extraordinary journey, not on the track, but on public roads. From the factory in Zuffenhausen, it traveled to Paris and at the wheel was its enigmatic owner, who insisted on as few changes as possible to the car, which remains in France, and on the road, to this day.
Details Of The 963
The concept originated during a trackside meeting between Timo Resch, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President, Porsche Motorsport, and Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Racing LMDh at Road Atlanta.
Inspired by the 917, they imagined repeating the feat with a 963. This small group took the basic premise of the project to Roger Penske and Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director of Porsche Penske Motorsport where both encouraged and developed the idea further. Roger Penske was nominated as the customer for the car, with the 963 being named in his honor.
Design Process
Possibly the greatest departure from the 963 race car occurs inside the 963 RSP. Following the lead of the handcrafted and completely bespoke interior of the 917 (which remains unrestored to this day) the 963 RSP features a mix of soft tan leather and Alcantara.
Whereas the race car features very few comfort features, the 963 RSP is more accommodating – with the single piece carbon seat trimmed in leather with soft cushioning placed down the center and a fixed headrest mounted on the carbon fiber bulkhead.
The seats are which are in common with the race version just happen to be air conditioned. The leg cushions in the footwell as well as the roof lining and pillars have been re-trimmed in light Alcantara while the steering wheel, where the majority of the vehicle’s functions are located has been finished in leather. A light-hearted addition is a detachable 3D-printed cup holder capable of securely holding a Porsche travel mug.
The 963 Powertrain
The 963 is powered by a 4.6 liter twin-turbocharged V8 making up to approximately 680 hp that has its origins in the RS Spyder race program operated by Penske which claimed all titles in the LMP2 class of the American Le Mans Series from 2006 to 2008.
The engine was enlarged from 3.4 to 4.6 liters and then used in the limited-production 918 Spyder road car, which debuted in 2013. The flat crankshaft and short stroke of the engine allow for a low mounting point, helping to optimize the center of gravity of the car.
While 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.
These turbochargers generate very moderate boost pressure and are mounted on the hot side of the engine, optimizing throttle response. Overall, around 80 percent of the engine components in the 963 are shared with the 918 Spyder, which was already designed to work together with a hybrid system.
