Porsche recently unveiled a remarkable new one-off: the street-legal 963 RSP, and the folks from Top Gear got the opportunity to drive it. This is a one-off creation honoring the legendary Count Rossi 917, the only road-driven version of Porsche’s storied race car, and was built under the direction and inspiration of Roger Penske.
This modern reinterpretation is built on the same architecture as Porsche’s Le Mans- and IMSA-winning 963 prototype but reworked with bespoke touches that make it suitable, under special permission, for public roads in France.
The 963 RSP is finished in Martini Silver and features a bespoke tan leather and Alcantara interior, echoing Count Rossi’s original 917, as well as subtle nods to 1970s Porsche design, including enamel badging and period-correct Michelin branding. Mechanical modifications include a raised ride height, a softened suspension, a reprogrammed ECU to support road lighting, and the addition of a horn. The car even wears front and rear license plates, granted special permission by French authorities.
Mechanically, the RSP retains the hybrid V8 powertrain found in the race-spec 963. The 4.6-liter twin-turbo V8, derived from the RS Spyder and later used in the 918 Spyder, produces roughly 680 horsepower.
