Development of the 2017 RSR began with photographs released in May 2016, which showed only the front half of the car and ignited considerable speculation that Porsche was preparing its first mid-engined 911 race car. Reports in the German automotive magazine Auto motor und sport supported this speculation, claiming that Porsche had obtained a technical waiver from the FIA to relocate the engine forward. It was also reported that Porsche had initially considered basing the new GTE contender on the 918 Spyder platform before finding that approach too costly.
In October 2016, an unmarked prototype was spotted testing at Sebring International Raceway in Florida. Spy photographs revealed a substantially larger rear diffuser compared to the outgoing car, and a series of air extractors on the window panel area, both of which suggested a mid-mounted engine layout. When the car was officially launched, Porsche confirmed that no technical waiver had ever been sought or required: the car complied fully with the 2017 GTE regulations as written.
The 2017 RSR adopted a rear mid-engined layout, powered by a 4.0-litre flat-six boxer engine rated at approximately 375 kW (510 PS; 503 hp) depending on the series air restrictor regulations in force. This was a fundamental departure from the traditional rear-engined architecture of all previous 911-based race cars and was made possible by the FIA's GTE technical regulations.
Other significant features included a new direct fuel injection system, a new transmission, and a comprehensive aerodynamic package centred on a swan-neck rear wing and a large rear diffuser. Quick-change body panels were designed to reduce pit stop times during endurance races. The suspension adopted a double-wishbone layout all around with a quick-change shim system for rapid setup adjustments between sessions.
The cockpit featured a fixed seat position with a moveable pedal box, a multi-function steering wheel with an integrated display, a rear-view camera, and a collision avoidance system. Bertrandt-developed LED lights, first developed for the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 car, were fitted front and rear.
The 2017 RSR made its competition debut at the 2017 24 Hours of Daytona. It clinched its first outright victory at the Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park in July 2017, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The car's most celebrated appearances came at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the 2018 race, Manthey Racing entered two Porsche GT Team 911 RSRs carrying special liveries to mark the 70th anniversary of the Porsche marque. The number 92 car wore the iconic Pink Pig livery, a tribute to the 917/20 which had carried the same design at Le Mans in 1971. The number 91 car carried a Rothmans-inspired scheme recalling the 956 and 962 factory cars of the 1980s. Both cars finished first and second in the LM GTE Pro class, a dominant one-two result. The LM GTE Am class was won that year by the Dempsey-Proton Racing entry, number 77.
At the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Manthey-entered number 91 Porsche GT Team RSR finished second in LM GTE Pro, with the CORE-entered number 93 taking third. Team Project 1's number 56 RSR won the LM GTE Am class, extending the car's record in the amateur category.
The 911 RSR (2017) was developed into a licensed LEGO Technic scale model, released for public sale in 2019, reflecting the car's broad recognition beyond the racing community.
The 2017 RSR marked a watershed moment in 911 motorsport history, proving that the iconic 911 silhouette could be successfully adapted to a mid-engined layout demanded by GTE regulations without losing its identity. The car's Le Mans success, particularly the 2018 anniversary one-two, reinforced Porsche's standing as one of the defining manufacturers in GT endurance racing.