While putting the finishing touches on its carbon-fiber CTR (seen above in yellow), RUF hasn’t forgotten about one of its other key competencies: modifying Porsche 911s. RUF debuted the GT, a new entry level for the company, with the first production CTR Anniversary at the Geneva Motor Show.
The GT has a variety of RUF touches and is, of course, based on the Porsche 911 Carrera S’s predecessor, the 991.2. Larger turbochargers and a redesigned exhaust system have increased the twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-horsepower six’s from 420 to 515. In terms of the chassis, it is identical to a conventional Carrera S, despite getting a pair of center-lock 20-inch wheels with the distinctive RUF five-spoke design.
With a redesigned front fascia, a rear diffuser made of carbon fiber, and a ducktail, the appearance is also quite different. Even if it’s minor, the RUF’s trademark aggressiveness is present.
The RUF crest has taken the place of the Porsche logo on the front engine lid. This is due to the fact that it is a genuine RUF, and like all vehicles from the company, even if it is based on a Porsche in this instance, it has its unique RUF VIN. You can purchase these components from RUF for your 911, and the GT shown above in black will run you about EUR240,000 ($270,000 USD). At EUR750,000 ($841,000 USD), it’s not inexpensive but a lot less expensive than a CTR.
Additionally, you may purchase each of these parts separately for your 911. Offering this kind of car and these parts is still a major element of the company’s business, according to Estonia Ruf, the ever-exuberant wife of the company’s CEO Alois, even as it expands into really custom chassis design. Alois also stated during a news conference that a CTR is perhaps not the best vehicle for bringing in groceries.
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Who is RUF Porsche’s owner?
In this video from RUF, service garage owner Alois Ruf Sr. describes how a Porsche 356 Karmann notchback tried to overtake him one day as he was operating a bus. It rolled a couple times after losing control and sliding into the ditch. He checked on the driver’s wellbeing before purchasing and repairing the vehicle. He then sold it for a startling profit. The Rufs noticed there was something peculiar about Porsche owners. When Porsche thought the 911 was a dead end and began pushing the 928 on enthusiasts, Ruf Jr. saw his chance. Ruf’s son has a lifelong affinity for 911s.
Despite the 928’s best attempts, the 911 was alive and continued to operate. However, as Ruf notes, the 911 SC and 911 Turbo had a significant price and performance gap. RUF saw an opportunity to build a line of customized 911s, giving wealthy enthusiasts access to the models that Porsche wasn’t already offering. That eventually led to the CTR, also known as the Yellowbird, which put RUF firmly on the map, as well as ever-faster and more potent variants.
This RUF-produced video, which certainly presents the brand favorably, isn’t exaggerating when it says that the film the company made about the CTR, Faszination am Nurburgring, is considered to have been the first car-related viral video. Interviewees describe how they distributed VHS tapes. Even in the early days of the internet, before YouTube, it was a sought-after video shared among astute car buddies. According to RUF, it was only only supposed to be a side project for ardent insiders and owners, and it was never intended to become such a famous touchstone for auto aficionados. Of course, the company’s reputation was destroyed.
However, the company’s reputation had already been greatly enhanced by a famous Road & Track piece in which its overpowered 911 destroyed all rivals in terms of speed, including tuned Ferraris and other various European exotics. A legend was so created. A new generation became aware of the mystique of the company as a result of its inclusion in the Gran Turismo series (Polyphony Digital head Kaz Yamauchi barged into Ruf’s hotel and demanded that the cars be included in the game).
We are aware of what happened afterwards. The 2017 RUF CTR, the related RUF SCR, and perhaps the equally insane RUF Rodeo are the climax of Alois Ruf’s innovations becoming wilder and more divergent from their Porsche beginnings. The updated CTR looks old and is unmistakably a tribute to the Yellowbird, yet it may be the RUF least associated with a Porsche. The monocoque is a custom carbon fiber creation and not at all from a Porsche. It’s possibly the pinnacle of Ruf’s ambition for the business that bears his last name if you understand where he came from and his opposition to technology that lessens the car’s analog feel. A respectable yet unique love letter to the vehicles that he centered his life around. Of course, quite quickly.
And this brief documentary video is certainly worth watching whether you have a strong affection for RUF or are just curious to learn more about the company. Enjoy.
RUF is Porsche faster?
The 911 SCR was the first non-turbo modified Porsche built by Ruf in 1978. This 911 SCR had a 3.2L engine with a naturally aspirated capacity of about 217 horsepower. However, it was referred to be a 911 just because it had the 911 body. In that situation, is it really a 911? This topic has been under discussion for many years.
Arstehnica gives further information on Ruf’s past. Due to its yellow color, the 1987 Ruf CTR was dubbed the “Yellowbird” and appeared in the Faszination on the Nurburgring movie. Ruf created this advertisement to promote the automobile. A 3.4L engine with two turbochargers and 463 horsepower was installed in the Yellowbird. This was a lot faster than anything Porsche had at the time, either on the road or the track.
The Ruf CTR became the fastest production automobile in the world in 1988 when it crossed the 211 mph barrier. Thus, it is not entirely accurate to say that a Ruf 911 is the same as a standard 911. The automobiles only actually have a shared chassis. Ruf improved the suspension, changed the brakes, replaced the body panels, and completely overhauled the engine.
What does an RUF Rt12 cost?
RUF is not your typical Porsche tuner because it has worked closely with Porsche to improve the highly competitive sports car market. RUF constructs Porsches from the ground up using Porsche’s body-in-white rather than altering them in any way. Despite the similarities to the Porsches they are built on, these are genuinely distinct vehicles because the German government even permits the firm to issue its own VINs.
RUF produces its automobiles in incredibly small quantities, which increases their exclusivity. Because of this, they make ideal collectibles that frequently sell for absurd sums of money, near to the $1 million mark. In actuality, the second RWD Rt12 R was purchased for $910,000 on Bring a Trailer in February. Due to this, the owner of this Mecum exemplar has every right to anticipate even greater interest and a lively live auction at Mecum’s Indy event from May 13–21.
Although it’s possible that the RUF is not a 2015 model, the seller advertises it as such. Our knowledge indicates that RUF manufactured the Rt12 R between 2011 and 2012 before switching to the 991 base when the new Porsche 911 model was unveiled. The RUF RTR is the alternate name for the Rt12’s replacement. We stick with this model because other information on Mecum’s website seems to adequately depict the Rt12 R.
The Rt12’s twin-turbocharged flat-six engine produces 720 horsepower (536 kW) and 693 lb-ft of torque, making it the most potent of the group (940 Nm). Two gentlemen thought it appropriate to have a rear-wheel-drive version of the automobile, and this is one of them, despite the fact that the majority of individuals who ordered the car chose the AWD variant. A six-speed manual transmission transfers power to the rear wheels.
The information on Mecum’s website gets hazy from this point on, starting with the engine’s rated power, which is listed as 730 HP in European metric units. And the car shouldn’t need 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph unless something terribly bad occurred to it (96 kph). The RUF time for the less potent Rt12, with its smaller 3.6-liter engine and 552 horsepower, is 2.8 seconds.
The RUF Rt12 is distinguished by its specifically designed bodywork, which not only gives it a distinctive appearance but also produces additional downforce for improved high-speed stability. Additionally, RUF installed a static suspension system of their own design in place of the 997’s stock active suspension system. In instances like driveway entry, a hydraulically controlled optional device that RUF and Ohlins designed to boost the ride height.
The air tubes on the rear haunches of the Rt12 bodywork set it apart from the normal Porsche 997 Turbo because they are said to deliver cooler air to the two turbochargers than the lower tunnels in the Porsche. You may anticipate a wide variety of carbon body components, polycarbonate windows, and other racing accessories. The RUF Rt12 maintains its status as an everyday vehicle with comfortable seats and plenty of amenities without sacrificing comfort.
The fact that this automobile has only 276 miles on it says a lot about how well it was maintained. It will most likely end up accumulating dust in someone’s garage, which is unfortunate. This sports car demands periodic appropriate revving and even some time spent on a racetrack to prevent rust.
RUF still produces cars?
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. The family-run business is distinguished not just by its own-brand, high-performance, and opulent automobiles, but also by the craftsmanship and attention to detail that are evident in each and every Ruf vehicle that leaves Pfaffenhausen. In addition to having offices in Pfaffenhausen, where Ruf Automobile GmbH is headquartered, the business also has representation in Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, China, Thailand, and Japan.
Is Ruf a legitimate automaker?
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).