Geneva 2011: Ruf Rt 12 R is a 230-mph bolide

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche, MISC

Ruf Rt-12R

Ruf Rt 12 R – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche makes some amazingly capable and exciting machines. The German speedmeisters at Ruf are fans of those cars, but they like to take them, lock them in their insane asylum factory and release them back into the world as roadgoing rocketships. The company’s latest creation, unveiled on the 2011 Geneva Motor Show floor, is the Ruf Rt 12 R.

Based on the (quite pedestrian by comparison) Porsche 911 Turbo, the Ruf Rt 12 R begins life with the stock 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine. That unit is good for 500 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque (516 lb-ft with the overboost function). After Ruf gets its mitts on the powerplant, output swells to 730 hp and 693 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired to Porsche’s six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel-drive system. And if you’re a rich lunatic, you can opt for rear-wheel drive.

Ruf also works its magic on the body of the Rt 12 R. Carbon fiber is applied to the front fenders, hood, luggage cover, seats and is available optionally on the roof. The side and rear windows are plastic instead of glass to further aid in the quest for lightness. This weight reduction, along with the massive increase in power, has helped Ruf claim an impressive 230 mph top speed for the Rt 12 R.

Gallery: Ruf Rt-12R: Geneva 2011

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Geneva 2011: Ruf Rt 12 R is a 230-mph bolide

Geneva 2011: Ruf Rt 12 R is a 230-mph bolide originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ruf drops the roof on 911 Targa-inspired Roadster

Filed under: Aftermarket, Convertible, Performance, Porsche

Ruf Roadster – Click above for image gallery

In the market for a 911? Lord knows Porsche has more than enough variants to choose from. And a fair few of them – like the Sport Classic and the Speedster – draw their inspiration from 911s of yore. But if those aren’t to your liking, venerable tuning house Ruf has a new option at your disposal.

Ruf calls it a Roadster, but it takes its cues (as well as its form) from the original 1967 Porsche 911 Targa. The Ruf Roadster features a solid roll bar that offers the structural rigidity of a coupe with a variety of configurations for open-air driving. Because the roof panels and rear window can be removed separately, the Roadster can be driven with the roof open and the rear closed, the rear open and the roof closed, or completely open or closed. You could even take one of the split roof panels off to let the sun shine in on the driver while keeping the front-seat passenger sheltered.

Buyers can choose from naturally aspirated (400-horsepower) or turbocharged (560hp) engines, with prices starting at €195,000 (approximately $275k at today’s conversion rates). Hey, nobody said flexibility came cheap.

Gallery: Ruf Roadster

[Source: PistonHeads]

Ruf drops the roof on 911 Targa-inspired Roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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