The extraordinary Porsche 963 RSP is a brand-new, one-off, road-car tribute to the lone road-registered Porsche 917 that was created 50 years ago. We covered the new car’s unveiling last week, but now we’ve got something extra-special for you. Henry Catchpole went to Le Mans to have a look at the 963 RSP and the 917K that inspired it, and then he became one of just four members of the media to drive the new 963.
That 917K (chassis 30) was owned by Teofilo Guiscardo Rossi di Montelera, otherwise known as “Count Rossi,” of Martini e Rossi racing fame. Similar to the racing-royalty connections of the older 917K, the “RSP” in the new car’s name refers to another of motorsport’s greatest visionaries: Roger Searle Penske. Penske has spearheaded Porsche’s resurgence in endurance racing over recent years, and his team has been integral to the creation of this road version of the 963.
Catchpole’s trip began with a quick flight from England to France, where he met the two cars at a small airfield. That Henry’s a tall fellow, but even he couldn’t say no when offered the opportunity to fold himself into the driver’s seat of Count Rossi’s 917K. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” remarks Catchpole, looking something like an origami person inside the car’s tiny cabin.
His enthusiasm carries over to the 963 RSP, which he covers in a detailed walk-around. Like the Rossi car, this one’s been upfitted with tan leather and a bit more padding to make it at least somewhat comfortable. It’s also full of neat touches, such as a set of 3D-printed air vents in the shape of fans, a nod to the fan that sat atop the flat-twelve engines that powered the 917 all those years ago. Catchpole notes that this is the only 963 chassis to receive actual paint, rather than a wrap like the race cars would get. It’s Martini Silver, of course, in keeping with the elder 917.
Of course, you’re here to learn how the 963 RSP drives, because Catchpole’s now one of just four primary sources on the matter. No more dillying about…
After Catchpole folds down into the cockpit, he slowly wakes the car to life—first the hybrid system, for low-speed maneuvers and starts (just like the endurance race cars). That hybrid componentry pairs with a 4.6-liter, twin-turbo V-8 to produce 671 hp, exactly the same output as the race car. In the RSP, the engine has been remapped slightly for smoother power delivery and to run on conventional pump gas.
That sort of output may not sound like a lot in a world where Corvettes are producing over 1000 hp, but consider the fact that the 963 RSP only weighs around 2200 pounds; that’s the sort of power-to-weight ratio that dreams (or nightmares) are made of.
With the primary controls handled, Catchpole gets a chance to open things up a bit down the runway of the airfield, and hoooo boy, does that engine sound gnarly. In between sprints, he points out an interesting Porschephile factoid: A naturally aspirated version of this 4.6-liter V-8 once powered the 918 Spyder, which was a fully homologated road car that folks all over the world could enjoy. “Porsche, perhaps more than any other brand, has, over the years, genuinely blended road and race in so many of its products,” says Catchpole.
Even with that svelte curb weight, Catchpole appreciates how direct the steering is without feeling hyperactive and nervous, like a real race car’s steering would feel to a mere mortal. He even notes how, thanks to a slight bump in ride height, there’s actual body roll to help keep you abreast of where the weight is on the go. By the end of the brief stint, he’s even beginning to wonder what it would feel like to take the 963 RSP on an actual road trip.
That might be a tall order, but with his early access to the RSP, Catchpole is still among elite company. Which brings us to his best line of the whole film:
“It’s like turning the space shuttle into a consumer passenger jet.”
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