2010 Ruf CTR3 Clubsport

Years of successfully tuning and modifying Porsches earned Alois Ruf the status of automobile manufacturer in 1981 by the German Automobile Manufacturers Association. The earliest Ruf-designated cars constructed in the 1980s were numbered BTR1, BTR2, and BTR3. Beginning with the Porsche 911, the Turbo engine's 3.3-liter engine was increased to 3.4 liters and given a Ruf inter-cooler and a KKK turbocharger. Ruf designed suspension and brakes were installed along with a Ruf five-speed gearbox. Customers could purchase the finished cars directly from the Ruf factory, or customers could have their own cars converted.

Yellowbird
Upgrading of Porsche 911s progressed with the CTR and CTR2, the latter based on the Type 993 model introduced for 1995. The notoriety of the Ruf name grew immensely following an article published in Road & Track magazine, where a bright yellow example (which earned it the nickname, Yellowbird) achieved a top-speed around 213 mph, giving it the title of world's fastest production vehicle.

Ruf CTR2
The successor CTR2 was based on the Type 993 Porsche 911 Turbo and came equipped with a tuned 3.6-liter engine offering approximately 520 horsepower and 505 ft-lb of torque. Later versions had upwards of 580 horsepower. Significant upgrades were made throughout, including Kevlar body panels, lightweight glass, bigger brakes, Ruf's own suspension system, an integral roll cage, redesigned rear wing, and Recaro racing seats with Simpson five-point safety belts. Two-wheel and four-wheel drive versions were available. With a top speed of 217 mph, Ruf once again held the title of the world's fastest production vehicle.

Ruf CTR3
The Ruf CTR3 made its debut on April 13th, 2007, at the company's new factory at the Bahrain International Circuit. The kingdom's ruler, Sheik Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, was the German firm's wealthiest customer. While previous Rufs had been closely based on the Porsche 911, the CTR3 was constructed on a largely bespoke platform developed by Ruf in collaboration with Canadian motorsports specialists Multimatic. It shared the body style and engine type with the contemporaneous Porsche 987 Cayman and Porsche 997.1 Turbo, and used the Porsche Cayman's mid-engine layout, shedding the traditional rear-engine layout of the previous CTR models (CTR and CTR2). The forward section of the chassis was sourced from the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, while a tubular sub-frame supports the engine. The CTR3 retained the same length as the 911, but due to the engine's altered position, its wheelbase increased by nearly 11 inches (10.8 inches / 274 mm). The front continued to use a MacPherson strut suspension setup, while the rear was given a multi-link arrangement instead of traditional double wishbones. The width grew to 76.5 inches and the height was reduced by 114mm, to 47 inches.

19-inch forged aluminum wheels were installed at the front while the rears used 20-inch wheels. The wheels were wrapped with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires with the front measuring 255/35 ZR 19 and the rear at 335/30 ZR 20. Ventilated ceramic composite cross-drilled discs provided the stopping power, with a diameter measurement of 380mm each and used six-piston aluminum calipers all round.

The twin-turbocharged flat-six aluminum-alloy engine displaced 3,746cc (3.7 liters) and developed 691 horsepower at 7,600 RPM and 656 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 RPM. It had dual overhead camshafts, 9.2:1 compression, a Bosch Motronic ECU, and a pair of KKK K24 twin-turbochargers and two air-to-air intercoolers. The transversely mounted six-speed sequential manual transmission (with clutch) was paired with a limited-slip differential. The Clubsport version used a seven-speed PDK setup.

Ruf CTR3 Clubsport
The replacement for the CTR3 was shown in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show, gaining more aggressive styling, flared wheel arches and a wider track, a large fixed carbon rear wing, and a new front section with splitter. Dubbed the CTR3 Clubsport, it was a more track-focused version that remained as easy to drive and useable as any Porsche, with significant improvements throughout. The engine was massaged even further, increasing output to 777 bhp and 723 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed dual-clutch 'PDK' transmission could be ordered as optional equipment. The interior was done in leather with carbon fiber detailing, blending Porsche switchgear with custom Ruf items such as the steering wheel and seats. The suspension continued to be MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The carbon ceramic disc brakes measured 380mm, and the tires 255/35 ZR 19 at the front and 335/30 ZR 20 at the rear. The wheelbase and width remained unchanged at 2,626mm and 1,944mm, respectively, and the height and length were within 35mm.

Total production was around 30 Ruf CTR3s plus seven in Clubsport configuration.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2024