Guide price: £150000 - £200000.
- A RUF-made 'W09' chassis number car, collected new by our vendor from the factory
- 1 of 5 RHD BTR2 models (18 examples in total)
- Fastidious ownership and maintenance history
- 420bhp, 0-62mph 4.1 secs and 191 mph
- Integrated roll cage
 Founded in 1939 in Pfaffenhausen, Bavaria, 'RUF Automobile GmbH' is a name now synonymous with Porsche, having produced some of the quickest, most exclusive and certainly the most exciting cars of the last 45 years.  In 1974, Alois Ruf Jn. took over his father's enterprise, 'Ruf Auto', a successful bus-manufacturing firm, but young Alois was more interested in sports cars, specifically the Porsche 911.  In 1975, the first RUF-enhanced Porsche quickly helped establish them a reputation as one of the best tuners of the marque around.  By 1977, RUF had gained further recognition for adding power to the then-new 930 Turbo, establishing themselves as turbocharging maestros, and producing their own 3.3-litre factory-beating version.  Since Porsche only produced Turbos with a four-speed gearbox, by 1981 RUF was offering its version with their own five-speed gearbox fitted - perfectly illustrating RUF's self-confidence and belief in their own technical abilities.Such advancements meant that, also in 1981, RUF secured 'manufacturer status' and, when considering any car titled a 'RUF', an important distinction must be made between a 'RUF-built car' and a 'RUF-enhanced car'.  Due to being officially recognised as an automobile manufacturer by the German government, every RUF-built car has a VIN starting with 'W09' and is registered as a RUF (not a Porsche).  These examples leave the Porsche factory as bodyshells and componentry and are sent straight to RUF to fully re-engineer and assemble from the ground up.In 1983, RUF produced the 'BTR 3.4' (the company's first type-approved car), and the 'BTR' moniker made its first appearance.  This turbocharged, 374bhp model was disarmingly discreet and started the RUF theme of offering customers a complete and bespoke RUF-made model in narrow body package (the BTR 3.4 utilised the 911 SC as a platform).  The BTR model won many accolades for its performance and reliability and was later joined by its big brother, the CTR, which arrived with some aplomb. In April 1987, RUF’s status (and exposure) hit new heights with its participation in ‘Road & Track’ magazine’s top-speed shootout.  RUF brought along its newest model, the CTR (Group C Turbo RUF), to Volkswagen’s test track at Ehra-Lessien in Germany and there, this rather tame-looking 911 (except for its yellow paint), saw off all the opposition by topping an incredible 211 mph.  A photographer named John Lamm witnessed the record and christened the car "Yellowbird.’  Subsequently, the RUF CTR ‘Yellowbird’ achieved the accolade of the world’s fastest production car, which was again reinforced in 1988 when another automotive magazine oversaw it pass through Nardo’s speed traps at 212.5 mph, being quicker than both a Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40.  In 1989, test driver Stefan Roser drove the ‘Yellowbird’ around the Nürburgring, with the laps being captured on in-car camera.  This footage was released by RUF in a ground-breaking, enthralling, and influential video titled ‘Faszination on the Nürburgring’, with both the footage and car now having true cult status. These exploits really put RUF on the map, establishing it as the maker of some of the most special and capable cars on the planet.  Their stature is not to be underestimated.At the end of 1987 RUF offered its CTR ‘Yellowbird’ models for sale, commanding a price tag in excess of $220,000.  It is believed that RUF only made 29 examples (these being RUF-made cars), whilst maybe a further 20-30 examples were converted from customers' cars.  Not a company to rest on its laurels, over the years RUF sought to advance both their BTR and CTR models and following on from the 964-based BTR, in 1994, shortly after Porsche introduced the 993 Carrera, RUF launched the 993-based ‘BTR2’.As in years gone by, RUF beat Porsche to the marketplace with a turbocharged version of their latest model.  Unlike Porsche though, whose own 993 Turbo would be an all-wheel drive, wide-body only model, RUF envisaged the BTR2 to be a rear-wheel drive, narrow-bodied coupe, in keeping with the original BTR ethos (but customers could specify a wide-body and/or a cabriolet if they preferred).  As it turned out, at the end of the RUF BTR2 production run of just 18 examples (RUF-made-‘W09’ chassis number), 15 were coupes and 3 were cabriolets, with a total of only 5 cars being in right-hand drive.Unlike Zuffenhausen, which for their 993 Turbo opted to fit twin K16 blowers, RUF employs a single KKK turbo to achieve an identical boost of 11.6psi.  To ensure the engine can cope with the increased pressure, a set of specially engineered Mahle pistons are installed to reduce the compression ratio from the Carrera’s standard 11.3:1 to 8.4:1, with the same 3600cc capacity.  At the top end, RUF’s own tailor-made camshafts are fitted in place of the original Porsche items along with faster-flowing injectors, both of which are regulated by a remapped Bosch Motronic brain. Whilst at the other end a freer flowing, lightweight, catalyst-equipped sports exhaust is fitted instead of the basic system.   With RUF fully balancing and building up the flat-six, it can achieve a handy 420bhp at only 5000rpm at the crank and a stump-pulling 435 lbs/ft of torque, giving a useful 12bhp and 37 lbs/ ft margin over Porsche’s effort – even with RUF’s output figures being renowned for being on the conservative side.  The BTR2’s on-the-road figures read 0-62 mph in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph.Furthermore, we see real engineering enhancements to the aerodynamics, suspension, wheels and brakes, all specifically developed, perfected and utilised for the BTR2.  Also fitted to many 964-based and 993-based BTR models was RUF’s own EKS (Electronic Clutch System).  This is just a conventional single-plate, hydraulic clutch mated to RUF’s standard six-speed gearbox.  The only difference is that the clutch is electronically operated as opposed to manually.    A torque sensor in the gear-lever tells a central brain when you’re about to shift, which in turn uses other sensors placed around the car to factor in variables such as road speed, engine speed and throttle position to determine how and when to engage the clutch.  EKS is clever enough to prevent you from ever missing a gear and with no torque converter (like Porsche’s Tiptronic system) there’s no lag or mechanical losses to overcome and hence no loss in performance or fuel economy.  Furthermore, given that EKS is an ‘electronic brain’ system only, to reinstate a conventional mechanical clutch and then use the gearbox as a traditional manual (as the hardware for this has of course always been in situ) would be very straightforward and inexpensive.  The car presented here is a UK-registered 1998 RUF BTR2, 1 of the 5 RHD RUF-made examples ever produced and is now being offered for sale for the first time since new.   Like all 'W09' RUF-made cars it was originally supplied by the RUF factory in Pfaffenhausen and built to our vendor’s exact specification, which included the addition of an Integrated Roll Cage (IRC) and EKS electronic clutch system.  Our vendor was so taken with RUF he even went to the factory to collect the car back in 1998. This exceptional automobile obviously has the obligatory RUF ‘W09’ chassis number and all the features associated with the BTR2 model.  It is safe to say that our vendor has really loved this car and has formed a very special relationship with RUF and Alois, making regular visits to the factory for both servicing and socialising.  This twenty-year association and our vendor’s absolute devotion to his car has meant it could not be in better health.  The car has covered a total of 68,000 miles with its one and only owner and has about the most comprehensive history file imaginable (including the original sales invoice / spec sheet plus all consecutive bills) along with thorough log of all work carried out on the car since new.  All major servicing has been done by RUF in Pfaffenhausen, most recently at 65,544 miles, (the car hasn’t ever done more than 12,000 miles without going back to RUF, either being driven there or transported), whilst interim and minor work has been performed by a combination of OPC and Porsche specialist workshops.  Due to our vendor’s specific requirements, the use of hand-operated driving controls have been utilised within the cabin but can be easily removed without leaving any discernible trace. This is a truly collectable, air-cooled classic RUF-made car, combining a purposeful, if discreet, appearance, with exceptional engineering integrity and ballistic performance – a BTR2 is easily a match for any modern-day supercar.  However, the real stand-out feature of this car is the long and dedicated single ownership.  The car’s condition and mechanical health is a real credit to our vendor, with his commitment to it and his close association to RUF being simply unique.