Vehicle Description
Chassis No. W09BT0348KPR06023
Engine No. CTRJ026
Transmission No. R50510019
In understanding the legendary Yellowbird, it is critically
important to understand RUF as a company, how it was founded, and
what it means to the automotive world as a whole. With its origins
in 1939, RUF was founded by Alois Ruf, Sr. as a service garage, but
it wasn't until 1987 that the firm made its mark and truly became
what it is today, with Alois, Jr. at the helm-an engineer whose
mandate to his team was always to develop more horsepower per liter
than any other manufacturer and to engineer the very best driving
experience, irrespective of the car's visual appearance or design.
Unlike its competitors, RUF is not a modifier, it is an outright
manufacturer, whose cars carry the critically important "W09"
designation in their VINs-specific to the marque and to the
cars.
Given their dedication to ground-up manufacturing, the total
production numbers are unsurprisingly very small. In the past 37
years since the CTR Yellowbird was introduced, Ruf had only built
about 400 total "W09"-VIN cars, up until the introduction of the
CTR Anniversary in 2017, for which only 50 cars were produced
worldwide.
The original CTR's introduction truly took the world by storm. In
1987, Road & Track magazine hosted its top speed challenge at
Nardo, including every notable sports car manufacturer, which had
prepared its cars very carefully. Among the field was the Ferrari
F40, the most coveted car of its era, which arrived with a claimed
(and unheard-of) top speed of 201 mph. The Ruf CTR, on the other
hand, was driven to Nardo from Pfaffenhausen directly, not
trailered like every other manufacturer. Blowing the doors off
every other competitor at the high-speed ring that day, it reached
a top speed of 211 mph, and indeed it was Road & Track that gave
the car the moniker "Yellowbird" as a result.
Certainly, the title of "World's Fastest Car" was a groundbreaking
achievement for Alois Ruf and his company. Although this wasn't his
first model, it was certainly the car that put his company on the
map and let the world know he was a competitor and a force to be
reckoned with. Many would argue today that he is the greatest
contemporary automotive engineer of his generation, and while his
reputation preceded him in Asia and Europe for many years, he has
rightfully gained this recognition Stateside over the last
decade.
All told, only 29 Yellowbirds were built for worldwide
distribution. In Porsche terms, such rarity compares to the 959
Sport, of which only 29 cars were also built, and which is
incidentally considered the most highly valued Porsche road car of
its kind. The McLaren F1, on the other hand, was built in
comparatively much more plentiful numbers-64 street cars were built
in total! The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Coupe and Roadster are perhaps
good comparison points as well, as only 26 examples were built, as
is the Porsche 911 GT1 Strasse, of which 20 examples were
produced.
Of the original 29 RUF CTRs built, 13 are known to exist in the
United States. Of the remaining cars, they uniformly remain in the
hands of some of the most important collectors in the world, many
of whom have the means to turn down even the most generous offer or
for whom the removal of the Yellowbird would signify the
disappearance of the cornerstone of their collection, and therefore
an untenable proposition. As Alois undoubtedly nears eventual
retirement, it is reasonable to think that much like with Ferrari's
"post-Enzo Era," RUF will likewise experience a similar phenomenon.
Namely, an appreciation for the era in which Alois himself built
these fantastic cars, including the Yellowbird, and a "post-Alois"
era which will surely see continued success for the company but
only add further appreciation for the Yellowbird.
As one of the 29, this particular RUF CTR Yellowbird, chassis
number 023, is remarkable for not only its exceptional performance,
and classic Bl�tengelb Yellow paintwork but its "one-of-one"
interior as the singular CTR Yellowbird outfitted with a special
light weight interior. Furthermore, it features the desirable
RUF-designed six-speed transmission- an unbelievable combination of
good taste and insight into future desirability from its original
owner. Perhaps most impressive are the notations recorded on its
RUF Zertifikat issued in 2016. Signed by Hans Kerler, noted on the
document as the original builder of 023, the document states that
aside from a minor paint repair in the engine bay completed by RUF,
it retains "100 % first paint otherwise." Furthermore, it describes
the 469 horsepower 3.4-liter flat-six engine and six-speed manual
as "original and have matching numbers; completely checked and
blue-printed." The inspection by RUF included an undercarriage
cleaning, paint buff, complete maintenance, and the installation of
new wheels and tires ensuring a near-factory fresh example.
