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Freshly Unwrapped - A new addition to the fleet – and what an addition!
On October 31st, our season ended as planned. No one was thinking about the approaching Holiday season, yet, when we were surprised by a visit by Saint Nick. As with last year, Saint Nick left his “muscle”, “Knecht Ruprecht”, at home. But he did bring us a new toy (we must have been very good again this year, indeed). A 1981 911 SC Coupe with Ruf optimizations. This is no ordinary 911, aficionados will know, its better known as a Ruf SCR!, with a normally aspirated 3.4 liter flat-six, the little brother to the Ruf CTR. But more on the CTR later.
Our “new” SCR isn’t just pretty to look at, with its guard’s red exterior and black full-leather interior. No, this unassuming 911 develops an incredible 252 DIN horsepower (we have the dyno sheet to prove it) and handles like it’s on rails, thanks to the Bilstein sports suspension and RS coilovers. Oh, and true symphonic pleasures are emitted from the tail that Herbert von Karajan would have appreciated.
A little background on Ruf Automobile GmbH. Ruf, still led by Alois Ruf, has been optimizing Porsche 911s since 1974 and has achieved worldwide fame in the process. After initial successes with normally aspirated Porsches, Ruf moved on to Porsche Turbos which led to the iconic “Yellow Bird”. Ruf’s “Yellow Bird”, a Ruf CTR with 469 horsepower, won the “Road & Track” supercar test in 1987, when it was clocked at 342 km/h in Nardo. The Yellow Bird beat out the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari, but also its cousin the Porsche 959. The Yellow Bird is still the fastest road car of the 1980s and its developmental roots can definitely be felt in our SCR.
I had a short opportunity and the pleasure to test our “Red Bird” during the last weekend of October, when I took a short trip to Sudelfeld, through the Inn Valley and back to Germany via the Sylvenstein Speicher, near Garmisch. My conclusion: Alois Ruf knew 30 years ago how to put a smile on any motoring enthusiast’s face – including mine. Of course, with all things there is a darker side. Over the last 31 years a few of the iconic Ruf accessories have gotten lost. But, the original tail has been located and procured and is patiently awaiting installation in our garage this winter. The car stands on pristine Fuchs wheels that, if we can source them, will make way for the original Rufs – Speedline Classics.
We still have a few months to get it all together so that you will be able to experience this beast in the spring.
Until then, you can feast your eyes on a few photographic impressions. Whet your whistle; you’ll want “more”!
Lars Eise
Founder and CEO
