RUF launches new CTR3 Evo and R Spyder models at Monterey

Monterey Car Week presented a tantalising array of new product launches, from reimagined classics to brand-new sports cars. For Porsche fans in attendance, two releases ranked high among the attractions on offer: RUF Automobile’s new CTR3 Evo and R Spyder models.

Introduced in 2007, the CTR3 is a mid-engined RUF sports car (differing from the rear-engined CTR and CTR2) mixing elements of the 987 Cayman and first-generation 997 Turbo in a RUF-designed body developed in partnership with Multimatic, the Canadian engineering firm providing Porsche with the new 963 race car’s chassis. Developing 691bhp and 656lb-ft torque from its 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged flat-six, the CTR3 looks part Carrera GT, part Le Mans racer, and was unveiled at the RUF factory at Bahrain International Circuit exactly twenty years after the debut of the CTR ‘Yellowbird’.

Following on from 2012’s CTR3 Clubsport, the new CTR3 Evo heralds what RUF describes as “the pinnacle of our water-cooled engines” and is the most powerful RUF sports car to date. Developing close to 800bhp at 7,100rpm and 730lb-ft torque at 4,000rpm, the 3.8-litre boxer is bristling with modern tech, ensuring a smooth and powerful pull to the redline. The double-clutch seven-speed gearbox receives commands from shift paddles, while six-piston brake calipers with fifteen-inch carbon-ceramic brake discs ensure all eight hundred ponies are reined in effortlessly. The steel chassis, meanwhile, utilises an integrated roll cage inside a lightweight carbon-Kevlar body shell for maximum strength and low kerb weight. A rear wing ensures ample downforce at the CTR3 Evo’s top speed of 236mph.

The 991-based R Spyder is RUF’s take on unusual classic sports car design. “A radical study enveloping both driver and passenger in their own cocoons.” So says Alois Ruf Jr, a man proud of the four-litre normally aspirated choptop, which produces almost 515bhp at 8,400rpm and 350lb-ft torque at 6,250rpm.

MONTEREY POP

Carbon-fibre rules the roost — the lightweight weave has been used for the rear hood, ducktail spoiler, integrated air intakes, helmet compartment, dashboard and centre bar. The latter plays host to a Sport Chrono-style stopwatch and passes between passenger and driver. Recognising it might be difficult for the car’s occupants to communicate, RUF supplies the R Spyder with two safety helmets incorporating an intercom system. The car’s sixspeed transmission features an auto blip system. Though the CTR3 Evo and R Spyder took a starring role in RUF’s exploits at Monterey, there was room for the announcement of upgrades for customer cars. Specifically, RUF has revealed details of its newest performance packages for the 992-generation 911. What’s on offer is beyond the scope of this news story, but in essence, all 992 Carrera and Turbo models, including the 992 Turbo S, can benefit from optimisation of engine ECU and turbochargers, as well as the appointment of sports air filters and a RUF sports exhaust system with valve control. For the base Carrera, power is lifted from 385bhp and 332lb-ft torque to a hefty 580bhp and 450lb-ft torque. For further information, visit rufautomobile.co.uk.