Have you heard of Ruf Automobile? If you’re a fan of sports cars, especially those from Porsche, you probably have. But if you don’t know this German company, this text will tell you a bit about its history and its amazing projects based on Porsche chassis.
Ruf Automobile: Discover the Company’s History and Its Love for Porsches
Alois Ruf
Ruf Automobile was founded in 1939 by Alois Ruf as a vehicle repair garage in the town of Pfaffenhausen. In the 1950s, Ruf began building its own touring buses and gained a reputation in the German market. But Alois’s son, Alois Ruf Jr., had another passion: Porsche sports cars.
Ruf Automobile
In 1960, Alois Jr. began restoring Porsches in his father’s garage, and in 1974, after Alois Ruf’s death, he took control of the company and decided to shift the business focus to vehicles from the Stuttgart brand. In 1975, Ruf was recognized as a manufacturer by the German government, as it installed many of its own parts on Porsche chassis.
Ruf Automobile Projects: Modified Models That Became Legends
Ruf 3.3 1977
The first complete model from Ruf was launched in 1977: a modified version of the Porsche 930 Turbo with a 3.3-liter engine producing 303 hp. In 1978, Ruf introduced a naturally aspirated model based on the Porsche 911 with a 3.2-liter engine producing 217 hp. But the company’s big success came in 1987, with the legendary Ruf CTR.
The CTR, nicknamed Yellowbird because of its yellow body color, was a monster on wheels. With a 3.4-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder boxer engine, the CTR delivered 469 hp and 553 Nm of torque. The car weighed just 1,150 kg and could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. Its top speed was an impressive 340 km/h, making the CTR the fastest car in the world at the time.
Ruf CTR Yellowbird
The CTR also became famous for a video recorded by Road & Track magazine at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where driver Stefan Roser showcased his skill behind the wheel of the Yellowbird on a wet, winding track. The video became a classic among enthusiasts and helped spread the word about Ruf around the world.
Ruf CTR2 1995
After the CTR, Ruf continued to produce models based on newer Porsches, always with improvements in performance, aerodynamics, and design. Some examples include the 1995 CTR2, which had a 3.6-liter twin-turbo engine producing 520 hp and reached 354 km/h; the 2000 RGT, which was a naturally aspirated model with a 3.6-liter engine producing 385 hp; and the 2007 CTR3, which featured a rear mid-engine 3.8-liter twin-turbo engine with 700 hp, reaching 375 km/h.
Ruf CTR3
Ruf Automobile: The Company That Isn’t Afraid to Challenge Automotive Industry Standards
Ruf Automobile is a company that honors the tradition and quality of Porsche cars, but also injects its own personality and creativity into its projects. It is a company that does not settle for established standards, but constantly strives to surpass them. It is a company that inspires dreams among sports car lovers.
