Ruf’s New CTR Doesn’t Sit on a Porsche Chassis

The next RUF model has an in-house developed platform

RUF, our favorite Porsche in all racing games except the ones developed by Electronic Arts, announced its presence with the new CTR at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. And by "new," we mean new-new.

RUF has a history of making Porsches even crazier than they actually are, by tweaking the hell out of them. For the fourth-generation CTR, RUF will take the matter into their own hands, developing the platform in-house.

We don't have pictures yet, but we do know that "carbon fiber" was the keyword for developing the new CTR (a process that took five years). The result is a mere 2,646-pound (1,200-kilogram) weight.

The 3.6-liter flat six engine sitting in the back would pack 700 horsepower (710 PS) and 649 lb-ft (880 Nm) of torque, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Enough for launching the lightweight body to 62 miles per hour (100 km/h) in less than 3.5 seconds, and to 124 mph (200 km/h) in under 9 seconds. Thanks to aerodynamic tweaking, the new CTR can reach 224 mph (360 km/h).

A lightweight car means not only faster acceleration but also better handling, so the brand-new CTR is expected to outperform the actual CTR (3 Clubsport) which, with 766 hp (776 PS) and 723 pound-feet (980 Nm) of torque, is still the most powerful RUF ever made. "Power is nothing without control" goes the Pirelli motto, a truism that can also be applied here.

Which, of course, makes us remember the 1987 CTR's brutal character. With 469 hp (476 PS) and 408 lb-ft (553 Nm) sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual, the 2,535-lb (1,150-kilogram) CTR could reach 60 mph from a standstill in 3.6 seconds, and a top speed in excess of 210 mph (340 km/h). At the time of its release, it was the fastest sports car in the world. Oh, and to keep it in one piece on a circuit, you had to have cojones of steel, like this guy right here.

RUF's new model comes to celebrate 30 years since the Yellowbird's debut, so design queues from the original CTR might get on this car also. Pricing was not disclosed, but we know production will begin in 2018, and only 30 examples will be sold.