Porsche brings a Le Mans hypercar to the streets

The Porsche 963 RSP is a road-legal 963 model built in singular to celebrate this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as the 50th birthday of the iconic Porsche 917.

As far as the chassis is concerned, the vehicle is nearly identical to its track-only counterpart. It even manages to hold on to the track car’s 4.6-liter V8 engine hybridized to output around 680 PS (671 hp / 500 kW) to the wheels. Recalibrated electronics ensures a smoother throttle response on the road, and the ECU now expects the engine to run off regular pump gas. The adaptive shocks have been tuned for a much softer ride than original, and the ground clearance has been raised as high as it would go on this Le Mans hypercar.

Major modifications were made to the bodywork, including the entire aero kit, the wheel arches and the individual panels. Carbon and Kevlar fiber are still used extensively throughout, but Porsche opted for a normal spray paint for the street-legal version instead of the racer’s wrap. The metallic livery closely matches that of the Porsche 917 from half a century ago. A new horn, headlights and number plate mounts round off the changes.

Last but not least, the interior feels much more comfortable with a new ergonomic driver’s seat made completely out of carbon fiber and an air conditioner. Leather and Alcantara cover most surfaces in view, and Porsche says a removable cup holder is included.