RUF RCT

The vehicle in detail

Founded by Alois Ruf in 1939 as a service garage in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, RUF Automobile evolved from restoring and tuning Porsches to building exquisitely crafted high-performance cars from the ground up, many of which exceed the performance of the very Porsche models on whose platforms they are based. Now run by Alois Ruf Jr., the company is officially recognized as a manufacturer by the German government with its cars assigned their own W09-prefix chassis numbers.
It was the G-series 911 Carrera-based RUF CTR that blew the company’s profile worldwide in 1987. Nicknamed “Yellow Bird” after its bright yellow paint scheme, the CTR stunned the motoring press when it hit a shocking 211 mph just weeks after the Ferrari F40 had reached the magical 200-mph mark. To beat a powerhouse like Ferrari, RUF bored the standard 3.2-liter flat-six engine to 3,366 cubic centimeters, fitted a fuel-injection system developed for the Porsche 962 racecar, and finished with a set of twin turbochargers and intercoolers. RUF’s own five-speed manual transaxle completed the package.
The 964-generation 911 that debuted in 1989 proved an ideal starting point for the RUF RCT, short for RUF Carrera Turbo. Launched in 1992, it was initially built around the coupe’s narrow body style and featured an adjustable suspension, among other enhancements. A single turbocharger bumped output of the familiar 3.6-liter flat-six by around 118 horsepower to about 365 horsepower.
This W09-chassis 1994 RCT features even more radical enhancements developed since the original model was conceived, having been sent back to RUF in 2020 for a complete restoration and extensive upgrades, which included replacing the original steel body with full carbon-fiber widebody coachwork. The single-turbo 3.6-liter flat-six was rebuilt and upgraded to “Evo” spec, with enhanced cylinder heads featuring type 993-derived components, including VarioRam variable intake. The resulting 420 pounds-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm delivers a massive shunt of power off the line, also thanks in part to RUF’s proprietary six-speed gearbox, which, along with the 425 horsepower on tap and honed aerodynamics enable a 200-mph top speed—well beyond what the type 964 platform achieved in standard-production form.
RUF beautifully refinished the exterior in Forest Green Metallic and lined the interior in brown leather with a diamond-quilted pattern and green contrast stitching, complemented by beige woven carpets. Accompanying this remarkable RCT Evo is a copy of a RUF Zertifikat verifying this very special W09 build. Described by Alois Ruf himself as the company’s most usable everyday model, the RCT Evo strikes an astonishing balance between performance, comfort, and speed. This stellar example, with its stunning Widebody configuration and less than 1,600 miles on the odometer at cataloguing time, is poised for a new caretaker seeking a collection centerpiece that looks as good as it drives on the road or racetrack.