Porsche Unveils LMDh Contender
The Porsche Penske Motorsport team unveiled the new Porsche 963 prototype, the team and manufacturer announced. From 2023, two of the hybrid LMDh-spec prototypes will be fielded in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Porsche Penske Motorsport will prepare the prototypes at two locations: the branch in Mannheim, Germany will be responsible for the FIA World Endurance Championship, with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship vehicles will be prepared in Mooresville, North Carolina.
“After 7,889 test kilometers during the first half of 2022, we’re on a very good path but there is still work to be done before the start of next season,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Motorsport. “Our new Porsche 963 should continue the legacy of legendary models such as the 917, 935, 956, 962 and the 919 Hybrid. I’m positive that we’ll be well-positioned when it comes to technology and we’ve also created the relevant team structures to set us up for wins in the thrilling competition between many manufacturers and different concepts.”
The official race debut of the Porsche 963 is planned to take place in January 2023 at the 24 Hours of Daytona, Porsche said.
The Porsche 963 is based on an LMP2-category chassis. This newly developed vehicle chassis is supplied by the Canadian company Multimatic. Bosch, Williams Advanced Engineering and Xtrac contribute the standard hybrid components. At the heart of the powertrain lies a 4.6-liter V8 Biturbo based on the high-performance 918 Spyder hybrid sports car, Porsche said.
The design of the new Porsche 963 draws inspiration from the 956 and 962 classics from the 1980s, while a continuous strip of lighting at the rear echoes the distinctive feature of the latest 992-generation 911, the company said. The white-red-black vehicle design is a salute to Porsche’s successful racing cars.
