Alois Ruf's personal 1963 Porsche 901 prototype, the oldest example left in existence that was once owned by Ferdinand Piëch, won two coveted awards at this year's Pebble Beach Concours
Ruf Jr. fell in love with the 911 because of this very car. While driving on the Autobahn in 1963 with his father, he heard and saw a bright blue Porsche overtake them and was instantly smitten. The family was already fascinated by the Porsche marque with Alois Ruf Sr. owning a mechanic shop, AUTO RUF, that saw many 356 models pass through it. For his 19th birthday, Ruf Sr. gifted his son a 911 that the previous owner had wrecked. Ruf Jr. kept the car in his garage for decades while focusing on building RUF Automobile into the revered brand it is today. As the 911 aged and turned into a classic, Ruf Jr. decided to begin the restoration in 2019.
Upon further research, he discovered this was one of the first 911s ever built (then called the 901), which was thought to have been lost forever. It served as Ferdinand Piëch's company car in 1963 before selling to Hans Mezger. After driving it for two years, Mezger sold it to an entrepreneur who wrecked it on a racetrack. Ruf Sr. purchased the project car for his son, and the rest is history.
'It is the car that opened the hearts of so many people,' said Alois Ruf Jr. 'The 911 is a part of our lives. For the gray-haired people or the young people, it is the most successful sports car ever built.'
For more information on RUF Automobile, visit ruf-automobile.de/en/ or on social media at @rufsince1939.
Photo credit: Dan Vaughan / conceptcarz.com
posted on conceptcarz.com
Alois Ruf Jr., head of RUF Automobile, took home the Art Center College of Design Award and Best in Class in the Porsche 75th Anniversary category with his 1963 Porsche 901 'Quickblau' prototype at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The wins come on the tail of Ruf's recent successes with the car at Concorso Eleganza Villa d'Este, where it won the Best in Class and Best Iconic Car awards. Chassis number six, once owned by both Ferdinand Piëch and Hans Mezger, is the oldest known 911 in existence.
posted on conceptcarz.com
