Ruf Automobile
 |
|
| Public | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Pfaffenhausen, Germany |
|
Key people
|
Alois Ruf Sr. (founder) Alois Ruf Jr. |
| Products | Automobiles, Automotive parts |
| Website | Ruf Automobile GmbH |
Ruf Automobile GmbH is a German car manufacturer. Ruf vehicles are derived from unmarked Porsche chassis, specifically known as a body in white. Through these fundamental platforms, RUF manufactures and engineers its own original vehicles. Additionally, as Ruf continues to install home-made parts to the automobiles, (e.g. BTR, CTR3, RT12), instead of badge engineering, the company's independence increases. Thus, Ruf is officially recognized as a manufacturer by the German government. As such, all RUF models have certified Ruf VIN/serial numbers and are recognized as production models, rather than modified Porsches. Ruf is historically known for its record breaking 211mph CTR, and is the largest, most renowned company to make Porsche performance enhancements. Though primarily a manufacturer, Ruf has also made a name for itself operating as a car tuner, a specialist in customer-requested Porsche to Ruf conversions (e.g. Turbo R conversions) and as a restorer of classic Porsche and Ruf models. Ruf carries out service and crash repair, as well.
The company was founded in 1939 in Pfaffenhausen, Germany as "Auto Ruf" by Alois Ruf Sr. as a service garage and was eventually expanded to include a full-service gas station in 1949. Ruf began experimenting with vehicle designs of his own in the late 1940s, and in 1955 designed and built a tour bus, which he marketed around Germany. The positive response it received led to Ruf expanding his business again by starting his own separately owned bus company.
Alois Sr.'s involvement in the car industry had a distinct effect on his son, Alois Ruf Jr., who became a sports car enthusiast. In 1960, Alois Jr. began servicing and restoring Porsche automobiles out of his father's garage. Following Alois Sr's. death in 1974, 24-year-old Alois Jr. took control of the business and focused on his passion: Porsche vehicles, and especially the 911. A year later in 1975, the first Ruf-enhanced Porsche came to life.
Ruf debuted their first complete model in 1977, a tuned version of Porsche's 930 with a stroked 3.3 litre motor. This was followed in 1978 by Ruf's first complete non-turbo Porsche, the 911 SCR. It was a naturally aspirated 911 with a stroked 3.2 litre motor producing 217 horsepower. Numerous customer orders were placed for this vehicle.
...
Wikipedia