Photo credit: Porsche
Roger Penske has driven the one-off Porsche 963 RSP that bears his name on U.S. soil for the first time, capping a whirlwind run of appearances in Europe and setting the stage for Monterey Car Week. Penske turned initial shakedown laps on the South Track at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, a systems check after the car’s dynamic debut ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and showings in Austria and at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Calling the experience “unforgettable,” the Penske Corporation chairman framed the outing as another milestone in a six-decade partnership with Porsche.
The car then moved west to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, home to four Rennsport Reunions and a future Porsche Driving Center in 2026, for extended running. Friends of Laguna Seca board member Bruce Canepa and former Porsche works driver Patrick Long sampled the 963 RSP on track, and on public roads. Long praised its quick responses, communicative steering, and surprisingly compliant ride, saying the car “shrinks around you” despite its prototype roots.
Photo credit: Porsche
Built by Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program as a single example inspired by Roger Penske’s legacy, the 963 RSP starts with the brand’s current 963 endurance racing prototype, then adds extensive bespoke work inside and out. The body wears Martini Silver paint that echoes Porsche 917 chassis 030, while the cabin mixes leather and Alcantara with cues drawn from that historic road-converted racer. Mechanical changes ready the machine for street use, including damper tuning, adjusted ride height, recalibrated engine controls for pump gas, and practical additions such as turn signals, wet-weather tires, and a horn. Porsche Cars North America chief Timo Resch called Penske’s first drive “a fitting conclusion” before the car joins his private collection. Before it does, the 963 RSP will be displayed at the Porsche Zentrum during Monterey Car Week.