Chassis No. W09BD0360WPR06036
In recent decades, fans of the perennially popular Porsche 911
platform have had no shortage of new tuners and manufacturers,
namely Singer and Gunther Werks, willing to refresh or all-out
reimagine the classic 911 shape. However, none of these names
approach the heritage nor the unmatched reputation of RUF
Automobile of Pfaffenhausen, Germany, who have been servicing and
modifying Porsche automobiles since 1939 and creating bespoke
models since 1977. The RUF legend was cemented with the famous
world-record-setting CTR "Yellowbird" of 1987, achieving a top
speed of 211 miles per hour, and the firm has continued to push the
limits of performance with refined iterations of each successive
911 generation ever since.
As most Porsche devotees are well familiar, the debut of the
water-cooled 996-generation 911 in 1997 has come to represent a
pivotal moment in the history of the marque. While the final
air-cooled 993-generation may have been surpassed in performance by
its water-cooled successors, its allure among collectors has yet to
be matched. Fortunately for air-cooled enthusiasts, the air-cooled
era would last four more years as RUF continued to extract
performance from the 993 platform, replacing its halo CTR2 supercar
with the Turbo R produced from 1998 to 2002. This bespoke
air-cooled machine was based on 993-generation bodies-in-white from
Porsche and limited to approximately 17 examples. Backed by a
hand-built, twin-turbocharged variant of the 3.6-liter "M64/60"
flat-six, the 490 horsepower Turbo R represented the ultimate
air-cooled 993 - that is until the Turbo R Limited appeared in
2016.
Built from just seven remaining 993-generation bodies-in-white that
RUF acquired many years prior, the Turbo R Limited marked the end
of RUF's production of air-cooled cars and may well represent the
most-refined 993-generation 911 ever crafted. Each of the seven
were uniquely specified by the original ordering owner, hence their
"Limited" designation, with this example being the first in the
series. The chassis, bearing the coveted "W09" VIN prefix, is
clothed in ultra-lightweight carbon fiber bodywork featuring
bespoke RUF front and rear facia. The car's unique specification
includes its striking Irish Green (Y79) finish - a historic Porsche
color dating back to 1964 - and richly trimmed black leather and
Alcantara interior. Other desirable fittings specified by the
original owner include extensive interior carbon fiber trim, carbon
fiber "lollipop" bucket seats, carbon fiber door panels, a
leather-wrapped integrated roll cage, air conditioning, a Porsche
Classic stereo, electric windows, billet aluminum pedals, and
vintage-style RUF green-on-black gauges.
At the heart of the Limited is a hand-built, RUF-modified,
air-cooled and twin-turbocharged variant of the 3.6-liter "M64/60"
flat-six, wringing out a remarkable 625 horsepower - some 135
horsepower more than the original Turbo R. Complementing this
considerable increase in output is a heavily modified suspension
with GT2 rear bushings, massive slotted and ventilated disc brakes
with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, and RUF's
trademark 19 inch five-spoke light alloy wheels finished in silver.
Capable of eclipsing the Yellowbird's top speed at 212 miles per
hour, this potent package is further bolstered by a RUF-developed
six-speed manual transmission sending power to all four wheels.
Upon its completion in 2017, this Turbo R Limited was featured on
the cover of the December 2017 issue of Excellence and subsequently
delivered to its original owner based in the U.S. Showing just 133
miles on the odometer, the RUF then passed to its second and
current owner in 2018, with the accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History
Report indicating that it has remained primarily in the Northeast
since their acquisition. Now showing just under 3,200 total miles
at the time of cataloging, this exceptionally rare factory-built
RUF has been diligently serviced by Speedsport Tuning in Danbury,
Connecticut under current ownership, including servicing overseen
by Marcel Ruf - grandson of RUF founder Alois Ruf Sr. Offered in
excellent condition, this is an outstanding opportunity to acquire
the ultimate and last iteration of the air-cooled 993-generation
911 is not likely to repeat itself.
Internet bidding is not available for this lot. Please contact
[email protected] for more information.
