Porsche’s American Prototype Showcase: Unveiling Rennsport Reunion 7

Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 is happening this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. This event organized by the automaker gives fans a chance to celebrate Porsche’s racing history every few years and witness the brand’s classic sports cars and their drivers in action. Racer had a unique opportunity to get up close with three Porsche sports prototypes from different eras.

The video showcases three Porsche sports prototypes: the Löwenbräu Special Porsche 962 from Holbert Racing, the DHL Porsche RS Spyder from Penske Racing, and the current Porsche 963 from Porsche Penske Motorsport. Racer’s North American editor, Marshall Pruett, and two-time Le Mans winner, Patrick Long, take viewers on a guided tour of these iconic racing cars that played a key role in defining Porsche’s presence in North American motorsports.

The Löwenbräu Special competed during IMSA’s original GTP era in the 1980s. It won the IMSA GTP championship in 1985 and 1986, as well as the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 1986 and 1987.

The RS Spyder was a legendary car in the American Le Mans Series in the 2000s. Although it was a factory prototype designed for privateers in the LMP2 category, it also challenged Audi’s renowned LMP1 racers. The agile RS Spyder triumphed over Audi’s R10 TDI, its higher-class competitor, in the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring.

Lastly, Pruett and Long discuss the Porsche 963. This current prototype competes in IMSA’s revived GTP class, paying homage to the era of the 962’s dominance. The project also marks the renewed partnership between Penske and Porsche, with the RS Spyder serving as a major influence on the modern hybrid machine. It’s a nostalgic closing of the loop, with the past shaping the present and inspiring the future.