The six greatest road-legal Porsche race cars

The Porsche road-legal sportscars based on actual race cars

September 15, 2025 | 7 min read

Porsche 917 KH Street parked outside country house

From the 550 Spyder to the 963 RSP, Porsche has a long tradition of special road-going sportscars based on race cars that competed on the world’s racetracks

From its earliest days, the development of both Porsche race cars and road cars has been a two-way street. They impact each other, from the smallest detail to the bigger picture. But over the years there’s been a select number of road-going sportscars that owe more than most to the influence of Porsche motorsport.

550 Spyder

Porsche 550 Spyder and limited-edition 718 Spyder RS Panamericana Special — The influence of the 550 Spyder continues to provide inspiration today, like the limited edition 718 Spyder RS Panamericana Special created for Porsche Latin America Photo: Porsche

The 550 Spyder is a fully-fledged Porsche icon whose owners include a Hollywood legend. The 550 Spyder was first revealed in 1953 at the Paris Motor Show as a race car that could also be driven on public roads to the racetrack. That’s exactly what movie actor James Dean, a motorsport fanatic, appreciated when he decided to swap his Porsche 356 Speedster for a 550 Spyder as his film career took off. Dean was then – and still remains – the epitome of cool and his association with a car brand still in its relative infancy certainly helped promote the image of Porsche, particularly in the US.

As for the car itself, here was a lightweight sportscar with astonishing performance even today. If its sleek, curvaceous bodywork stood out both on road and track, so did its four-cylinder boxer engine. While 110 hp might sound relatively benign, when matched with a weight of just 550 kg (1212 lbs), it translated to a top speed of nearly 230 km/h (143 mph). Dramatic, striking and distinctive, its legacy has carried through to today’s open-top Porsche sportscars, whether that’s the 911 Cabriolet models or the car that later adopted its name, the 718 Spyder RS.

917 KH Street

Gregorio ‘Count’ Rossi di Montelera with his 917 KH Street — Count Rossi next to the 917 KH Street – it was painted in a new colour, Martini Silver, in a nod to the drinks company which he was heir to Photo: Porsche

The 917 KH Street is a one-off in more ways than one. It was the result of the dream of Italian businessman Gregorio Rossi di Montelera – known as ‘Count Rossi’ – who was the heir to the Martini drinks company and an avowed Porsche enthusiast. That dream? To create a road-going version of the legendary Porsche 917 race car, which had dominated endurance racing for many years prior.

A team at the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach identified a donor model – with the chassis number 917-030 – that had only raced once in its lifetime. They set to work adapting it for Count Rossi to drive on the street, which led to its moniker of the 917 KH Street (the ‘KH’ stands for Kurzheck, or short tail in English). In several respects, the car was little different from the one that tore up racetracks and notched up race win after race win. The approximately 600 hp (609 PS) 4.9-litre engine remained intact. Exterior wise, adaptions and additions included rudimentary exhaust mufflers, additional mirrors, side indicators and a horn, with a spare tyre housed under its rear clamshell. Its body colour was bestowed the suitably appropriate name of Martini Silver.

Its interior underwent several changes, with concessions to comfort including its two-seats being reupholstered in tan leather sourced from luxury goods purveyor, Hermès, and the doors, dashboard and roof lining being trimmed in suede. By their very nature, race cars often adopt cut a brutal, unforgiving figure. But the 917 KH Street marries this with an elegance and joie de vivre that remains intoxicating to this day.

917-037

The 917-037 was based on an original chassis from the 1970s that was later built as a full car in the US in 2004 before falling into the hands of Monaco resident Roddaro Photo: Porsche

Rear view of Porsche 917-037 road car driving on coastal road — Driving what is ostensibly a race car on the road means there are hair-raising thrills around every corner in the 917-037… and leaves few bypassers’ heads unturned Photo: Porsche

As Count Rossi’s formidable 917 KH Street displayed, the Porsche 917 is a race car that stirs the emotions. And it would prove an inspiration for the creation of a more recent road-going version of the legendary endurance racer.

Like many Porsche fans, Claudio Roddaro harboured a long-held passion for the 917. So, inspired by Count Rossi’s previous exploits, the Monaco resident decided to create a road-going version of his very own. Using an unfinished chassis as its base – 917-037 – it was eventually assembled by an American collector in the early 2000s and made its debut at the Rennsport Reunion in Daytona in 2004.

Using the 917 KH Street as a precedent, after buying it, Claudio was able to register the car for road use having added a set of license plates, brake lights and turn signals. The result is a 917 that you could feasibly drive to the supermarket (if you really wanted!) and yet looks like it’s just come back from a long stint around Spa-Francorchamps or the Nürburgring in 1970.

911 GT1 Strassenversion

The Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion takes design elements from the Porsche 911 as well as the 962 race car Photo: Porsche

Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion on the road, driving past fields — The initial impetus for the 911 GT1 Strassenversion was to create a road-going version of the 911 GT1 race car for homologation purposes in order for it to meet entrance criteria for endurance racing championships Photo: Porsche

Two men admiring a parked Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion — Three versions of the 911 GT1 Strassenversion were made. The vast majority of these the 1997 model, of which approximately 20 were built Photo: Porsche

The 911 GT1 Strassenversion owes its existence, in part, to the strict homologation rules of the governing bodies that ran endurance racing when one of two prototypes were revealed in 1996. In order to enter a new race car – the 911 GT1 – in the leading endurance racing championships, they had to create a road-going version in order to meet entrance stipulations. The result was a true race car for the road. Elements of the 911 at the time – early examples used type 993-generation donor cars, later models deployed parts and design inspiration from the type 996 version – are readily apparent in the front end of the car. Channelling the flowing rear end styling of the Porsche 962 race car added plenty more drama. The majority of the versions made – around 20 – were built in 1997 for lucky customers to buy.

The interior replicated the tight confines of the race car but with a few added home comforts. However, and perhaps unsurprisingly, the headlines were grabbed by its riotous performance. The 1997 version of the 911 GT1 Strassenversion produced 544 PS (536 hp) and could roar to the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) mark in just 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 308 km/h (192 mph). It remains a brutal and, at the same time, beautiful example of the ongoing symbiotic relationship between Porsche motorsport and Porsche sportscar divisions.

911 GT3 RS (type 992)

Porsche 911 GT3 RS with snowy mountains in background — The 911 GT3 RS was developed with the race circuit in mind but it’s just as at home on the road – and loves the mountains Photo: Porsche

Porsche 911 GT3 RS on Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb — A Porsche 911 GT3 RS takes on the famous hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Photo: Porsche

While the 911 GT3 RS is a road car, it’s a car uniquely developed to perform on the track. Based on the type-992 version of the 911, in its current iteration (as of September 2025) it’s among the most extreme street-legal GT cars ever presented by Porsche. Its adjustable front wing elements and standout two-part, swan neck-supported rear wing result in considerable downforce and enhanced dynamics, making it a match for any race circuit.

Those race car credentials are bolstered by its lightweight construction, including carbon fibre-reinforced plastic front wings, doors, roof and bonnet that translate to a kerb weight of just 1450kg. Underneath there’s a high-revving, four-litre, naturally-aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine that produces 525 PS (518 hp), can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 184 mph (296 km/h). The 911 GT3 RS displays the significant race car DNA that’s a trademark of all Porsche GT sportscars.

963 RSP

Porsche 963 RSP cornering on street near Le Mans — The 963 RSP is the latest example of a Porsche road car which owes its existence to a racecar – with the startling performance to match Photo: Porsche

We’ve already learnt how the all-conquering 917 race car has provided ample inspiration for two exceptional road-ready sportscars. And here comes another. The 963 RSP – its initials that of Roger Penske, the famed chief of the Porsche Penske Motorsport team – made its debut in June 2025 on the streets of the Circuit of Le Sarthe where the 24H of Le Mans is held each year.

Based on the 963 car that currently competes in the world’s great endurance races, it captures the spirit of Count Rossi’s 917 KH Street (see entry further above). A collaboration between Porsche AG, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Porsche Cars North America, this one-off, road-worthy sportscar started out as a ‘what if’ and soon became a ‘can do’. Painted – in tribute to the 917 KH Street – in Martini Silver, it features uniquely altered bodywork and a bespoke tan leather and Alcantara interior that echo the trim of Count Rossi’s masterpiece. Further additions include modified bodywork covering the wheel arches, raised ride height, softened dampers and a reprogrammed control unit that ensure that the headlights and taillights operate closer to those in a road car. Engine-wise, it features around 80 per cent of components with the 918 Spyder hypercar, with a 4.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that can produce around 680 PS (671 hp).

“The 917 from the story was every inch a race car – albeit one driven on the road – and we took the same approach with the 963 RSP,” says Timo Resch, Porsche Cars North America President and CEO. “It uses beautiful materials of the best quality available but is still every bit a race car underneath.”

While the 963 RSP is very much a one-off, it’s able to be driven on the road under special circumstances and in accordance with local requirements.

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