Monday, March 11, 2013

Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva

Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva German supercar manufacturer, Porsche tuner, and restorer Ruf Automobile GmbH arrived in Geneva with plenty of heavily modified Porsches including a Boxster with 911 muscle. The automaker made news with the announcement of an investment and cooperative agreement signed with investment group GENII Capital with that group’s founding partner Gerard Lopez — owner of the Lotus F1 team — becoming non-executive chairman of the board. Alois Ruf hopes to leverage the arrangement to help his group “undertake a major technological push,” adding that this liaison with an F1 partner will help further propel the company in the direction of high-technology supercars (an area Ruf has already explored with electric high-performance models), as the brand grows with recent expansions into China and Thailand.

Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva

Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva

 Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva

Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva













Ruf Transforms Porsche Boxster With 911 Muscle – 2013 Geneva

1964 901

Porsche 901 300x187 imageRuf had a large presence on the main show floor at Geneva this year, highlighting the breadth of its range of products and services, starting with a gorgeous Porsche 901. This freshly restored example was on hand to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the model quickly renamed 911 after Peugeot enforced a French trademark on three-digit names with a zero in the middle. Ruf has a full restoration shop that has undertaken refurbishment of several of the original 82 901s built, of which this was the 18th.

3800 S

Here Ruf 3800 S rear side view 300x187 imageis the car I’ve been clamoring for Porsche to offer, but which the automaker apparently never will: a proper mid-engined Boxster or Cayman with full 911 muscle. Porsche engineers have mumbled about structural problems with this, but Ruf proves them wrong, easily shoehorning the 3.8-liter, 414-hp, 332-lb-ft flat-six and a seven-speed PDK transmission into either model.

Rt 35 Roadster

Speaking of cars Porsche can’t, won’t, or hasn’t built yet, here’s the first twin-turbo convertible body offered on the new 991 architecture. Ruf RT 35 Roadster from above 300x187 imageChoose rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, six-speed manual or seven-speed PDK transmission of your 621 hp and 610 lb-ft. Air intakes atop the rear fenders and Ruf wheels are the only clues to this stealthy Rt35’s Rufness. (The coupe body style is also offered.)

Rt 35 S

Paying homage to the legacy of the original Ruf Yellowbird, this S model adds 20 hp to the standard Rt 35 package, and the coupe gets an integral roll cage incorporated in the bodywork while preserving everyday usefulness. The cage improves torsional rigidity, for improved handling. The rear wing provides greater downforce, for improved high-speed handling.

Rt 12 R

This competition-oriented model is still based on the 997, but remains available. Lightened weight, the integrated roll cage, more advanced aerodynamics, and a lift system to help the aggressive front airdam clear driveways and such are part of the package. In this installation, the 3746cc six produces 740 hp and 708 lb-ft. Read our Ruf RT 12 R First Drive here.

RGT-8

To me, the most impressive offering in Ruf’s 911-based line is the RGT-8, which manages to install a compact, lightweight, four-cam, hemi-head, dry-sump V-8 in place of the standard flat-six with very little modification of the existing body structure. Designed, developed, and manufactured entirely in-house at Ruf, this naturally aspirated 4499cc wonder produces 542 hp and 370 lb-ft. Two were delivered in 997 bodywork, and delivery of 991-based cars is expected in August.

CTR 3 Clubsport

The Ruf CTR 3 Clubsport front side view 300x187 imageCTR 3 is entirely manufactured by Ruf, with styling that apes the LeMans racers of the 50s and 60s. This Clubsport variant gets extra carbon embellishments on the wheel arches, sills, and engine lid, and it gets a “Mohawk” air intake running over the roof. Its 3.8-liter six makes 766 hp and 723 lb-ft of torque.

For price and availability, contact Ruf’s U.S. distributor, Grand Sport LLC at 248-304-9091, or grandsport-michigan.com