Porsche 963 LMDh: Will the brand's most extreme Hypercar hypercar arrive in 2025?
Image source: unsplash by Xavier Praillet
The legendary Porsche 917 with the Gulf livery in action.
Porsche has stirred up the motorsport scene and Hypercar with a mysterious Porsche Hypercar teaser. A short video, which refers to the 50th anniversary of the legendary Porsche 917 short-tail with road approval, ends with the words "What if? June 2025". Speculation is running rampant: is Porsche actually planning a road-going version of its current Le Mans hypercar, the 963 LMDh?
A look back: The only Porsche 917 with road approval
In 1975, Porsche built a one-off that is still considered a legend today: the Porsche 917 short-tail with road approval. Chassis number 30, a racing car for public roads, rolled out of Weissach - a symbol of engineering skill and sporting spirit. According to Porsche, this car is still occasionally on the road today.
With this historical reference, Porsche is now raising expectations: Will there be a modern successor for the anniversary?
The 963 LMDh - motorsport icon and hybrid monster
The current Porsche 963 LMDh has been Porsche's spearhead in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) since 2023. With a 4.6-liter V8 biturbo combined with a hybrid drive, the car officially delivers 680 hp (500 kW). It competes against other LMDh and Hypercar- and is a direct heir to the 917.
A road-legal derivative would not only be extremely exclusive, but also a technical masterpiece: a Hypercar hypercar with Le Mans genes that could be driven on the open road.
What does Porsche say?
When asked directly, Porsche - unsurprisingly - only gave a curt "No comment". However, insiders suspect that the brand is indeed toying with a road-going version of the 963. However:
It will probably not be a production vehicle or a customer car.
More likely is a show project that emphasizes brand competence - similar to the famous Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo.
As a reminder, the 919 Hybrid Evo set a legendary lap record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 2018 with a time of 5:19.546 minutes and later even drove on public roads - albeit purely as a PR and demonstration vehicle.
Teaser: Porsche 963 LMDh - road version of the Le Mans hypercar
In this official teaser video, Porsche raises the question: What if there was a road-legal version of the Porsche 963 LMDh? Fans worldwide are speculating about a possible 2025 Hypercar inspired by the legendary Porsche 917 hatchback. This video shows the exciting announcement Porsche is planning for June 2025. Source: Porsche AG, official YouTube channel.
Source: Porsche Video Source YouTube
June 2025: Unveiling the details
The teaser with the reference "June 2025" makes it clear: Porsche will officially reveal what exactly is behind the project in June at the latest. Whether it is a one-off road version, a series of show events or perhaps even a small series of road-going hypercars remains to be seen.
One thing is certain:
If Porsche were to actually build a 963 for the road, it would be one of the most extreme and fascinating vehicles ever to come out of Weissach - and a potential highlight of the entire Hypercar.
Conclusion: myth meets modernity
Porsche plays cleverly with its motorsport history. The parallel between the legendary 917 short-tail from 1975 and today's 963 LMDh shows that the brand is not only focusing on the past, but is also open to new, visionary ideas.
It remains to be seen whether a road-legal Hypercar will actually be built - but the speculation alone shows how strongly Porsche continues to arouse emotions in the sports car scene.
