2007 Ruf RK

RUF Automobile GmbH of Pfaffenhausen, a small village west of Munich, was founded by Alois Ruf and, through his passion for Porsche cars, has established a singular relationship with the marque. Initially offering service and sales of Porsche automobiles, RUF has evolved into a boutique manufacturer finely engineered supercars. Their history as a manufacturer dates to 1974, when Alois Ruf Jr. took over the company. In 1981, the German Federal Bureau of Motor Vehicles certified RUF Automobile GmbH as an independent manufacturer.

The RUF RK Coupe was introduced in 2006 with the 'R' representing 'RUF' and the 'K' for 'Kompressor.' Based on the Type 987.1 Porsche Cayman S, it was developed in collaboration with Studiotorino, an Italian design house with coachbuilding roots. Styled by designer Aldo Brovarone, the RK Coupe received a restyled roof panel without side rear windows and a new carbon fiber trunk lid with a vertical rear screen. The front and rear bumpers were new, an external competition-style fuel filler was added, and styling elements from the Porsche 550 Spyder were incorporated including the rear flashes. Enlarged 330 mm Brembo disc brakes improved stopping power, and the suspension received altered shocks and firmer springs.

The Cayman's 3.4-liter engine was replaced by a 3.8-liter flat-six sourced from the 997-generation Carrera S. Output improved with the help of a centrifugal supercharger with intercooler, redesigned intake manifolds, reprogrammed engine management system, and bespoke sport exhaust system. The result was 440 horsepower at 7,000 RPM and 369 lbs-ft of torque at 5,500 RPM. RUF's six-speed manual transaxle sent power to the rear wheels. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 4.4 seconds, and the top speed was achieved at 174 mph.

Only two examples of the RUF RK Coupe were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2023