Porsche 963 LMDh Prototype Debuts At Goodwood, Will Race In 2023

Its first outing will be at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January.

By: Christopher Smith

Jun 24, 2022 at 1:30pm ET

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Amid the plethora of new vehicle debuts at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed comes a vehicle decidedly not built for the street. Porsche unveiled its new 963 LMDh prototype race car that will compete in 2023 with the Porsche Penske Motors team. The team will race in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Built to LMDh regulations, the 963 is based on the LMP2 chassis category but is an entirely new setup built by Multimatic. It features a twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V8 engine based on the mill used in the 918 Spyder hybrid. Design-wise, the 963 draws inspiration from iconic Porsche race cars of the 1980s, namely the 956 and 962. There's also a bit of current-generation 911 wrapped in the racer with the solid rear light strip. Porsche fans will certainly recognize the white-red-black color scheme as an ode to the automaker's racing history.

Gallery: Porsche 963 Official Images

"After 7,889 test kilometers (4,900 miles) 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 of Porsche Motorsport. "Our new Porsche 963 should continue the legacy of legendary models such as the 917, 935, 956, 962, and the 919. 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 new 963 will make its racing debut in January 2023 at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, competing in the new GTP class. The team will field two cars competing in both championships, with two additional cars prepared for backup. The new racer won't strictly be a machine for Porsche, however. The automaker has plans to offer the 963 for customer race teams beginning next year. For now, folks can see the race car in person at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed.