I’m sorry about the headline; I just couldn’t resist a Seinfeld reference.

Now that we got the apologies out of the way, let’s take a look at the Porsche 963 RSP, a one-off car created in partnership with Roger Penske, an automotive racing team owner, businessperson and former professional driver.

Creation of the car involved Porsche, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche Cars North America and Penske himself. The RSP in the car’s name are the Penske’s initials (Roger Searle Penske).

The car is a road-legal, though barely, version of Porsche’s IMSA championship- and WEC championship-winning 963 race car, and is inspired by the Porsche 917 of 50 years ago.

We could go over all the technical details of what makes the car fast, but what’s the point, this is a race car made road legal, so we know it’s fast.

Instead, let’s take a look at the things that make the 963 RSP road legal.

Modifications for the road

The car is raised and has softened dampers compared to the car it is based on, and its headlights and taillights work more like those of a road car.

The car has various bodywork modification, such as having its wheel arches covered.

The 963 RSP rides on Michelin wet weather compound tires and it even has a horn.

Painting the car was a challenge, Porsche said, as the 963 RSP is made of carbon fibre and Kevlar, which is ultra-thin in some places. The car is finished in a Martini Silver colour, which is a nod to the appearance of the Count Rossi 917 car.

On the inside, the car features bespoke tan leather and Alcantara upholstery, also inspired by the Count Rossi 917.

There’s also a detachable 3D-printed cup holder, which can securely hold a Porsche travel mug.

Beside the driver, there is a spot for the car’s Peltor headset and steering wheel, which would be removed when not in use. There’s also a spot for a laptop because the car doesn’t start with a key, but a computer, which is also used to assist the car’s operation.

Street cruise

The car needed these modifications to be given special permission from French authorities to be allowed to drive on the road and to get licence plates.

The car was driven on public streets on June 6 near the Circuit de la Sarthe alongside the 917.

This ride happened a little more than 50 years after the 917 made a journey on public roadways from its factory in Zuffenhausen (a borough in Stuttgard, Germany) to Paris, France. That ride occurred in April 1975.

“That was an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime,” said Timo Bernhard, who drove the 963 RSP on the first leg of its journey, in a news release. “Driving down a public road with a 917 beside me – it felt unreal. The car behaved perfectly – it felt a little friendlier and more forgiving than the normal 963 – and felt super special and a lot more comfortable, especially as I was not needing all my safety gear.”

What does Penske think of the car?

“We have enjoyed a terrific relationship with Porsche dating back to 1972. The Porsche 917/30, in particular, was one of the greatest eras in Team Penske history with numerous wins and championships, along with the closed-course speed record set by Mark Donohue in 1975,” Penske said in the news release.

“With such a remarkable partnership continuing to this day, we felt it was time to create the most exciting car we could imagine. Just like the 917, I wanted this car to be authentic to its origin and have as few changes to it as possible. When we got into the project, the differences in the two generations of race cars provided a great challenge. What emerged is a car that has lost none of its edge and is exciting whether on the track or on the road.”

Public appearances

The car is scheduled to go on public display at the Circuit de la Sarthe during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which happens June 14 to 15.

After that, it will be shown at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgard, Germany alongside the 917.

After that, it is scheduled to appear at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which happens July 10 to 13.

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