[MotoSook]

Ruf 911 CTR - The 211mph modification

Porsche 911 was one of the favourites to car-tuners. Among all tuners, Ruf could be described as the "specialist among specialists". Alois Ruf created the "Yellow Bird", Ruf 911 CTR, which stunned the world in the supercar contest held by Road & Track in 1987.

R&T gathered 8 of the fastest production cars then - Ferrari 288GTO, Testarossa, Lamborghini Countach QV, Isdera Imperator 108i, AMG 560E, Porsche 959 Sport and 959 Comfort; and three highly-tuned Porsche 911 turbos from Ruf, RS Tuning and Koenig. They were tested in the Volkswagen Ehra-Lessien high-speed test track. At the end of the day, the Ruf 911 CTR beat all other supercars in top speed by recorded an astonishing 210.7 mph two-way average. It became the fastest road car in the world !

Suprisingly, Ruf based his car on the narrow-track 911 Carrera body, its lower drag might be the key factor to its record-breaking top speed. The engine came from the 911 turbo, with slightly larger capacity, twin-turbo instead of single, higher boost and bigger intercooler, power rose from 300 hp to 469 hp, even more than the 959. The engine drove a Ruf-made 5-speed transmission (in then the 911 turbo had only 4 speeds) and then 4 sets of 17in wheels wearing Dunlop D40 tyres originally developed for the 959. Brakes also came from Ruf itself.

I cannot quite understand why the Yellow Bird could be that fast. Compare it with 959 and you will understand my mistery - Yellow Bird was obviously less aerodynamic-efficient than the 959's 0.32 Cd, while its power advantage was only 19 hp, I can hardly see why it could be 13.7 mph faster. Because of taller gearing ? Unlikely, because the 959 had the additional 6th ratio. No one knows what magic Alois Ruf did in his car.

Model Ruf 911 CTR (Yellow Bird)
Years of production started 1987
Layout Rear-engine, Rwd.
Engine Flat-6, sohc, 2v/cyl, twin-turbo.
Capacity 3.4 litres
Power 469 hp
Torque 457 lbft
Gearbox 5M
Weight N/A
Top speed 210.7 mph*
0-60 mph 4.0 sec*
0-100 mph 7.3 sec*
1/4 mile 11.7 sec* / 133.5 mph*