RUF CTR3

[thetunersgroup]

http://www.rufautocentre.com/newcars/images/CTR3_3.jpg

Hi All,

I've just finished reading an amazing article from a US magazine about the development of the Ruf CTR3.

http://blog.volks-autos.jp/images/RUF_CTR3.jpg

Ruf took the front section of a 911 and designed a spaceframe rear section for the mid mounted engine. It's a hugely impressive piece of engineering.

The specs are mindblowing ...

Empty weight with 6 speed manual transmission: 1,400 kg / 3,086.4 lbs
Top speed: 375 kph / 235 mph
0-100 kph / 0 – 62 mph: 3.2 sec

Engine:
Type: turbocharged boxer 3,746 cc / 228.6 in3
Cylinders: 6
Output: 515 kW (700 hp) at 7,000 rpm
Max. torque: 890 Nm / 656.5 lb-ft

The rear view 3/4 view is pure pron LOL ...

http://www.tendancehightech.com/blog/images/Auto/RUF-CTR3-2.jpg

http://www.ridelust.com/wp-content/uploads/ruf_ctr-3.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/479975866_0647e678b7_o_d.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/187/479992589_49bf2cbd74_o.jpg

More info on it here ...

http://www.rufautocentre.com/newcars/RUF_CTR3.asp

Videos here ...

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=qogRaC6hZ84

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=bEifvghK5jk

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iqonKEESo0U

- Adam

[dom]

How to make CTR3:

1. Take one 911, chop in half
2. Take one Audi tt, chop in half.
3. Weld 911 front to tt rear.
4. Stick some uber expensive running gear in.
5. Garnish with red wine vinegar and Enjoy!

[thetunersgroup]

How to make CTR3:

1. Take one 911, chop in half
2. Take one Audi tt, chop in half.
3. Weld 911 front to tt rear.
4. Stick some uber expensive running gear in.
5. Garnish with red wine vinegar and Enjoy!

Haha. Great idea.

Though the CTR3 looks a bit like the TT from the rear, the CTR3 was actually inspired by the 1953 Porsche 550 coupe and the 1956 550A/1500RS coupe.

Here are some photos of them ...

http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/2/734491.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/2/156.jpg

http://www.autocult.com.au/img/gallery/full/997GT3492.jpg

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/img/content/820/Lot_228.jpg

Mind you, it also has a hint of the Audi Rosemeyer concept car ...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4d/Audi_Rosemeyer_Modell.jpg/800px-Audi_Rosemeyer_Modell.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/carpics/93/2000_Audi_RosemeyerConcept2.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/carpics/93/2000_Audi_RosemeyerConcept3.jpg

- Adam

[Bronald McDonald]

Always loved the RUF line up of cars... Amazing machines!

Good read, thanks for that Adam.

Just one of my favorite RUF Cars..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads2/ruf%20yellowbird%20back1081479467.jpg

[Frogger]

Not hanging the engine behind the rear axle?! That's like admitting defeat! :P

Car looks bloody awesome though.

[Bang A Dang]

first pic is amazing but then as the 2nd, third pic and so on comes along it looks off...
esp the full side on pic

[thetunersgroup]

Not hanging the engine behind the rear axle?! That's like admitting defeat! :P

To understand why it is mid engined, you need to see two other Ruf cars first - the Ruf Rt12 and Ruf R50 ...

This is the Ruf Rt12 ...

http://www.fantasycars.com/gallery/Cars/Porsche/2005%20Ruf%20RT12/2005_ruf_rt12_3.jpg

http://www.rufautocentre.com/newcars/Rt12.asp

This is the Ruf R50 ...

http://www.rapidcars.com/images/rufsuperrear.jpg
http://www.rapidcars.com/images/rufsupercar.jpg


There's a quote in the article I read about why they made the CTR3 mid engined. Alois Ruf was asked about that and he said ...

"Originally (the CTR3) was to be based on the (Porsche) 997. But the 997 based 3.8 litre Ruf Rt12 raised the bar so high that this idea soon fell by the wayside ... But so many ideas from the R50 had fermented enough by then that I realised the CTR3 would also have to be mid engined if it were to be significantly faster and more capable than the Ruf Rt12. The R50 project was the study that morphed into the CTR3 without us consciously realising it."


Car looks bloody awesome though.

Haha - yep. I reckon it's one of those cars that would look even better in person.

- Adam

[thetunersgroup]

first pic is amazing but then as the 2nd, third pic and so on comes along it looks off...
esp the full side on pic

I think it's a shape that will grow on people.

When I first saw the mid engined Porsche Cayman, I hated it, but now I like it. It's kind of jarring compared to that classic 911 roofline until you get used to it ...

http://www.ssip.net/upload/porsche-cayman-side-1_145.jpg

Then Porsche Design got hold of it ...

http://www.uncrate.com/men/images/2007/08/porsche-cayman-s-design.jpg

And Ruf built their own take on the Cayman ... the Ruf RK Coupe ...

http://www.slashgear.com/gallery/data_files/4/4-studio-torino-rk-coupe-Porsche-Cayman.jpg

IMHO, the Cayman's roof is too high and looks a bit out of proportion. By contrast, if you look at the roofline of the CTR3, it is much lower and the proportions are spot on ...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/479975866_0647e678b7_o_d.jpg

- Adam

[dom]

Cayman Black is my favorite porsche, everybody rips on caymans but I reackon there mint. :)

[SUROK]

i havent driven a cayman yet. how do they compare to a boxter S can you feel the difference from the fixed roof

[thetunersgroup]

i havent driven a cayman yet. how do they compare to a boxter S can you feel the difference from the fixed roof

Checkout this article ...

http://www.europeancarweb.com/firstlook/0509ec_2006_porsche_cayman_s/index.html

It reads ...


The Boxster is the best handling mass production road car Porsche have ever made. With its mid-mounted engine and 45/55 weight distribution, it has a poise and delicacy in its handling that the rear-engine 911 cannot hope to match.

Structural rigidity has always been a strong suit and goes a long way toward helping its handling and grip.

Now imagine that you could increase that rigidity by 250% in torsional stiffness, and by 200% in bending resistance to further sharpen the claws of this incisive driving machine. This is precisely what the new Cayman does, and thus promises to be the perfect mount for Porsche driving enthusiasts and track-day addicts.

I know a couple of guys in the US who have Cayman track day cars who used to have early 911's. The comments I heard from them was that the Cayman S is the best chassis they have ever driven.

- Adam

[Bang A Dang]

I think it's a shape that will grow on people.

When I first saw the mid engined Porsche Cayman, I hated it, but now I like it. It's kind of jarring compared to that classic 911 roofline until you get used to it ...

http://www.ssip.net/upload/porsche-cayman-side-1_145.jpg

Then Porsche Design got hold of it ...

http://www.uncrate.com/men/images/2007/08/porsche-cayman-s-design.jpg

And Ruf built their own take on the Cayman ... the Ruf RK Coupe ...

http://www.slashgear.com/gallery/data_files/4/4-studio-torino-rk-coupe-Porsche-Cayman.jpg

IMHO, the Cayman's roof is too high and looks a bit out of proportion. By contrast, if you look at the roofline of the CTR3, it is much lower and the proportions are spot on ...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/479975866_0647e678b7_o_d.jpg

- Adam

i agree the cayman looks nice, esp the black one you posted, but ctr3...
for me front yes, side no, back no... do like the duck tail tho but then again

its only my opinion, doesnt matter much :)

[dom]

Cayman Black Editions are sex. Pretty sure only 777 were made.

[thetunersgroup]

i agree the cayman looks nice, esp the black one you posted, but ctr3...
for me front yes, side no, back no... do like the duck tail tho but then again

its only my opinion, doesnt matter much :)

It's not to everyone's taste, but I think that if I had one in my garage, any questions about it's looks would quickly evaporate - the performance of it is what really counts.

At the end of the day, Ruf is one of the few companies where function drives design rather than the other way around.

While that has an effect on cosmetics sometimes, all the bodywork on Ruf's cars is designed around a structural / performance reason.

- Adam

[TERRA Operative]

I would have sex with any car RUF produces.

[thetunersgroup]

I would have sex with any car RUF produces.

LOL !

- Adam

[dom]

Theres an article about this car, in this months EVO mag.