In the small village of Plaffenhausen, near Munich, Alois Ruf Jr. has been catering to an exclusive list of clients seeking more performance from their Porsche automobile. The company was founded by his father, Alois Sr. in 1939 in Pfaffenhausen, Germany as a service garage. The first Ruf-modified Porsche was birthed in 1975, and the first complete model in 1977. The company's first complete non-turbo Porsche was the 911 SCR of 1978, powered by a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter engine.
The 1983 BTR (for Gruppe B Turbo RUF) was the Ruf model to use the W09 serial number (the RUF VIN number). Built in various configurations, conforming to the wishes of the owner, the 3.4-liter, flat-6 turbocharged engine was tuned to 370 hp at 6,000 RPM and 354 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed gearbox was standard, and a six-speed became available in 1988 upon request. To cope with the increase in power, the brakes and suspension were upgraded. Production of the BTR continued through 1989 and was available either for the 930 Turbo or for a Carrera 3.2.
The company captured the world's attention in April of 1987 when its Ruf CTR achieved a top speed of 211 mph (339 km/h), earning it the title of world's fastest production car. Nicknamed 'Yellow Bird' due to its bright yellow color scheme, the 'CTR-1' model name represented 'Gruppe C Turbo Ruf, 1st model.' The 1995 Ruf CTR2 had a top speed of 217 mph (350 km/h), making it the fastest road-legal production car in the world.
RUF automobiles have remained exclusive and the ultimate specification for the Porsche upon which they are based. The Ruf BTR2 was based on the 993 Carrera and was among the fastest road-going vehicles of its era, nearly capable of reaching 200 mph. Produced from 1993 to 1998, as many as thirteen examples were built (as few as 9) in both coupe and cabriolet configurations.
The RUF-built BTR2 began as a narrow-body 911 Carrera 2 body-in-white supplied by Porsche. Modifications included a reworked front bumper, larger air inlets, a pair of horizontal vent slits, sport mirrors, 18-inch RUF five-spoke alloy wheels, and a prominent 'whale tail' rear spoiler. Its 3.6-liter flat-six engine received a single KKK K27 turbocharger running 11.6 psi of boost pressure, plus an intercooler, a new exhaust system, lower compression ratio, Bosch Motronic engine management system, and a reprogrammed Bosch DME Motronic engine management system. Since the RUF BTR2 preceded the introduction of the 993 generation of the 911 Turbo by two years, it became the first turbocharged 993 model ever produced. Only rear-wheel drive configuration was offered; the 993 Turbo had an all-wheel drive system plus twin sequential turbochargers. The BTR2 had narrow bodywork and the 911 Trubo wore wide bodywork.
The Ruf BTR2 received 322mm front and 300mm rear disc brakes (the front were ventilated and drilled discs), a limited-slip differential with 60 percent lockup, a RUF six-speed manual transmission, and a slightly lower (by 30mm) suspension with stiffer anti-roll bars. The interior received special bucket seats, an integrated full roll cage, and Ruf insignia.
With 420 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 435 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 RPM, the BTR2 could sprint from zero-to-sixty mph in 4.1 seconds and had a top speed of 191 mph. Even though the 993 Turbo had twin turbochargers and a four-wheel drive system, the BTR eclipsed its performance.
by Dan Vaughan