Ruf and Porsche are not that dissimilar from one another. Pfaffenhausen has a division called Ruf. Vehicles are created, improved, and restored by Ruf Automobile. The company has departments for panel beating, upholstery, paint, engines, and historic automobile sections. According to Wikipedia, the company uses unmarked Porsche bodies, also called “bodies in white.”
From there, Ruf constructs the automobiles. Instead of deconstructing already-built cars, the company builds new ones using materials from the brand. Germany now regards the brand as a manufacturer rather than just a performance brand. As a result, each vehicle receives a Ruf VIN rather than, say, a Porsche VIN.
In addition to having a tuning facility, Ruf can also restore cars. Additionally, the business provides servicing, crash repairs, and Porsche to Ruf conversions. Ruf is well-known for the CTR Porsche that set a new record for speed at 211 mph.
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Watch RUF’s Rise to Magnificent Freak Status in the Automotive Industry.
There aren’t many businesses that provide the same functions as Germany’s RUF. RUF was founded in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, as a garage in 1939. Over the years, it has transformed into a Porsche specialist shop, a Porsche tuner, and something that almost defies description: a manufacturer of brand-new cars that may resemble an air-cooled 911 but are actually entirely RUF from the wheels up.
If you squint, you might be able to see out some similarities between organizations like Caterham and the Lotus Seven, which greatly expanded the Lotus Seven formula’s original design intentions. Perhaps Singer as well.
The RUF CTR, also known as the Yellowbird, is a late-’80s evolution of the 911 with specifications that still blow minds today: 0-60 mph in 3.65 seconds, a 210 mph top speed, a sub-2,600-pound curb weight (! ), and a challenging but joyful demeanor behind the wheel. To date, none of those companies has created a vehicle with the same kind of world-tilting impact. It’s almost like a freak of nature—a hero vehicle that, by all accounts, exceeds even the most unjustified hopes.
A new short film called RUF: Love at the Red Line takes a look back at the company’s past eighty years, following its development from a service center to manufacturer and the production of what is likely the first viral car video (though back then, you had to buy Fascination at the Nurburgring on VHS). It includes interviews with car culture icons like Bruce Meyers and Kazunori Yamauchi, who helped promote the CTR by adding it in his enormously popular Gran Turismo video game series, as well as Alois Jr., Estonia Ruf, and other members of the firm.
The historical perspective is priceless: The 928, a front-engined vehicle that Porsche had intended to replace the rear-engine, air-cooled 911, was the a-ha moment for Alois, for instance. Obviously, it didn’t because the 911 is still operating (and in many respects, better than ever). However, the development of the CTR, which was at the time constructed using a body shell from Porsche, marked a turning point for the rear-engine sports vehicle. Instead of trying to stop the 911 from advancing toward pure, unrestrained performance, Alois and team set out to push it farther than Porsche dared. The results are still being discussed today, so RUF obviously did something good.
We could refer to this movie as a retrospective, but it would indicate that RUF’s story has come to an end. Nothing could be further from the truth, and its work will likely become more relevant and in great demand than ever before as the performance frontier pushes further and further away from the analog sports car experience that so many of us still yearn for.
In the movie, Alois Ruf says, “My motto has always been: When you drive one of our cars, you have to feel like you are driving your own trousers, your own pants.” We hope that things like the sound of a flat-six engine, the operation of a superb manual transmission, and the ability to interface with both in a properly tuned lightweight sports car will never go out of style.
Gordon Kozak
For as long as he can remember, Graham Kozak has been enamored with automobiles (probably before that, too).
The New Ruf Still Looks Like A Porsche Even Though It Isn’t Based On One
When the non-Porsche Ruf was introduced a few days ago, everyone was ecstatic, but it turns out that the car’s entirely carbon fiber body is a replica of a 1980s 911.
As you may recall, Ruf created a unique vehicle that wasn’t based on a Porsche for the first time. It turns out that it isn’t nearly the break from tradition that we had anticipated.
Ruf has dressed its brand-new carbon-tubbed CTR 2017 in a body that, let’s just say Porsche might be a little irritated if Ruf hasn’t requested permission, in homage to the 1987 CTR Yellow Bird, an absolutely bonkers 210mph version of the contemporary 911.
What makes a brand-new chassis worth the trouble, then? The most recent Porsche models are too large to have the desired impact.
With flat-cut five-spoke alloy wheels, a sizable spoiler, yellow paint, and upright, round headlamps, the look is eerily reminiscent of 1987. However, the small elements are distinctly 2017—the lower ride height, the cutting-edge headlamp technology, and the interior, which is definitely not a Porsche and is covered in Alcantara practically everywhere but the tartan leather seats.
You really, really wouldn’t want to crash it even at low speed because its extraordinarily wide body is made entirely of carbon. Is it pure hotness or is it unfortunate that Ruf didn’t create its own styling to match all the work it went into creating the chassis?
It is swift in either case. It is lighter than a McLaren 720S, weighing only 1200 kg dry, but slower moving due to longer gearing for the 700 horsepower twin-turbo Ruf. Expect a 0-62 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a 0-124 mph time of less than nine seconds, but the 224 mph top speed beats the McLaren’s 212 mph.
The 245-section front tires are dwarfed by the 305-section rear tires, which provide traction. There must be enough of grip to contain the 649 lb-ft of torque at only 2750 rpm. Ruf designed the 3.6-liter flat-six engine, which resembles the 3.6-liter flat-six used in the 1987 Yellow Bird.
We’re torn between admiring it for seamlessly fusing the old and the new and wishing the outside wasn’t just a carbon replica.
History
RUF Automobile GmbH is a little firm that has collaborated with Porsche to create its own sports vehicle history. It is based in the small Swabian village of Pfaffenhasuen, which is in the Allgau region close to Mindelheim, west of Munich.
The foundation of RUF’s expertise in all things automotive is a tradition that dates back to the late 1930s. In Pfaffenhausen’s Mindelheimer Strasse, Alois Ruf Senior established his company, “Vehicle RUF,” a general auto and mechanical repair business, where it is still located today. He welcomed his son Alois into the world in January 1950.
The business was appointed a BMW agent in 1963. Alois Junior developed a liking for sports automobiles while his father Alois was still growing his business. He built his first automobile, a 911 Carrera RS 3.0, from scratch as early as 1975. The car’s unique interior features, headlamp-washer system, and roof aerial grabbed a lot of attention.
The RUF BTR of 1983 was the first car to have an RUF chassis number, so fast forward to 1983. The 3.4-liter RUF turbo engine, which produces 374 horsepower, and the five-speed manual transmission were the heart of this vehicle. The car’s body shell was constructed by hand. RUF offered the BTR in both the narrow 911 Carrera body and the wide turbo bodywork.
RUF prioritizes wheels and brakes in addition to the engine, transmission, and body in its engineering development programs. RUF 17-inch Speedline wheels were added to the model lineup in 1985. A strong partnership with the tire manufacturer Dunlop led to the creation of seventeen-inch tires, which were initially designed for the Porsche 959. The Dunlop Denloc technology provided optimal safety at very high speeds together with run-flat capability.
The RUF CTR, a lightweight coupe with a 469hp 3.4 liter twin-turbo engine and Motronic engine control in a compact, aerodynamically-optimized body, was introduced by the firm in 1987. The CTR, often known as the “Yellow Bird” by the international motoring press, redefined performance standards for street-legal sports vehicles. With a top speed of 213 mph, the CTR outperformed even prestigious high-end sports cars like the Ferrari F40, an AMG-Mercedes, and a works-tuned Porsche 959 in comparison testing on Nardo’s high-speed track in southern Italy. The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States both granted RUF certification as a car manufacturer in the same year.
RUF continues to be a pioneering manufacturer in its own right, obtaining ‘bodies-in-white’ straight from Porsche to create custom, hand-built sports vehicles with very distinctive features. Because each car is custom-built to the owner’s specifications, it is exceedingly uncommon for two cars to be exactly same and each has its own RUF chassis number.
RUF continues to be one of the world’s leading suppliers of premium, genuine restoration services for all varieties of Porsche automobiles.
Please check out the RUF Timeline to learn more about significant events in the history of the business.
Porsche allows RUF, so why?
Everyone who is familiar with the appearance of a Porsche may affirm that all RUF vehicles are Porsches. RUF is a business similar to Hennessey that customizes stock vehicles.
Does RUF make use of Porsche motors?
Instead of deconstructing already-built cars, the company builds new ones using materials from the brand. Germany now regards the brand as a manufacturer rather than just a performance brand. As a result, each vehicle receives a Ruf VIN rather than, say, a Porsche VIN.
What is the price of a Ruf Porsche?
German automaker Ruf Automobile is a family-run business with headquarters in central Bavaria. Ruf is a name that speaks for engineering quality, authenticity, passion, and raw driving. It is also the family name of the company’s founder, Alois Ruf Sr., who established the business in 1939.
RUF International: What is it?
The eponymous German manufacturer of Porsche-based sports vehicles was established in 1939 by Estonia’s father-in-law, Alois Ruf Sr. Ruf is currently present in Singapore (again; Ruf was last represented here in the 1990s), with freshly appointed dealership Specialised Automobiles.
What does RUF’s entire name mean?
United Revolutionary Front. The deliberate use of violence (or the threat of violence) against people to advance political, religious, or ideological aims is referred to as terrorism, terrorism, or terrorist act. This is accomplished by intimidation, coercion, or instilling fear.
Describe an RUF BTR.
The Ruf CTR (Group C, Turbo Ruf), sometimes referred to as the CTR Yellowbird or just the Yellowbird, is a high-performance sports car produced in limited numbers by the German automaker Ruf Automobile.
Where is the origin of Estonia RUF?
Since “BMW” is only a three-letter word, many people pronounce it that way: “bee em double yoo.” The English pronunciation, however, is incorrect because the brand is German. The most accurate way to pronounce this is therefore “bee em vee.”
What is the foundation of RUF CTR3?
Revolutionary United Front (RUF), also known as Revolutionary United Front/Sierra Leone, is a guerrilla group that was established in Sierra Leone in 1991. As a result of its actions, the government there was overthrown, and a protracted civil war ensued.
What does an RUF CTR anniversary cost?
To reduce weight, the interior has fixed-back houndstooth Recaro seats. At a cost of EUR650,000 (approximately $800,000), or 15 SCRs every year beginning in 2019, Ruf claims they will be accessible for the American market.
Is the flat plane crank used by the Porsche 911?
What ultimately resulted in Ruf Alois Ruf Sr. founded Automobile in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, as a standard garage in 1939. Due to the unfortunate circumstances of one driver, his son Alois Ruf, Jr., would later expand the company into a Porsche tuning powerhouse.