In 1957 the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) changed their rules to allow cars with enveloping bodywork to compete in Formula races.

At the Berlin Grand Prix at AVUS the car won both its heat and the F2 class in the hands of driver Masten Gregory.

[8] The unpainted car was entered in the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix, where driver Wolfgang von Trips qualified twelfth, but crashed on the second lap of the race.

These rules changes together with a larger (1.6-litre) Type 547/3 engine, developing 160 horsepower (120 kW) and a new double wishbone rear suspension brought about the RS 60 model.

The RS 60 brought Porsche victory at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring with a car driven by Hans Herrmann and Olivier Gendebien.

1960 also saw Porsche win the Targa Florio with Hans Herrmann being joined on the winner podium by Jo Bonnier and Graham Hill.

The RS 60 also ensured that Porsche successfully defended their European Hill Climb Championship for the third year in a row.

The W-RS continued Porsche's success in the European Hill Climb Championship with Edgar Barth claiming the title in 1963.

A GTR Coupé enabled drivers Jo Bonnier and Carlo Maria Abate to win the Targa Florio in 1963 once more.

Jean Behra also drove one of the cars home finishing second at the Targa Florio (an FIA World Sportscar Championship race from 1955–1973).

In 1959, the car, driven by Edgar Barth and Wolfgang Seidel, achieved overall victory at the Targa Florio for its first time.