Porsche RUF Turbo R

As most Porsche devotees are well familiar, the debut of the water-cooled 996-generation 911 in 1997 has come to represent a pivotal moment in the history of the marque. While the final air-cooled 993-generation may have been surpassed in performance by its water-cooled successors, its allure among collectors has yet to be matched. Fortunately for air-cooled enthusiasts, the air-cooled era would last four more years as RUF continued to extract performance from the 993 platform, replacing its halo CTR2 supercar with the Turbo R produced from 1998 to 2002. This bespoke air-cooled machine was based on 993-generation bodies-in-white from Porsche and limited to just 15 examples. Backed by a hand-built, twin-turbocharged variant of the 3.6-liter “M64/60” flat-six, the 490 horsepower Turbo R represented the ultimate air-cooled 993 – that is until the Turbo R Limited appeared in 2016.

Built from just seven remaining 993-generation bodies-in-white that RUF acquired many years prior, the Turbo R Limited marked the end of RUF’s production of air-cooled cars and may well represent the most-refined 993-generation 911 ever crafted. Each of the seven were uniquely specified by the original ordering owner, hence their “Limited” designation, with this example being the first in the series. The chassis, bearing the coveted “W09” VIN prefix, is clothed in ultra-lightweight carbon fiber bodywork featuring bespoke RUF front and rear facia. The car’s unique specification includes its striking Irish Green (Y79) finish – a historic Porsche color dating back to 1964 – and richly trimmed black leather and Alcantara interior. Other desirable fittings specified by the original owner include extensive interior carbon fiber trim, carbon fiber “lollipop” bucket seats, carbon fiber door panels, a leather-wrapped integrated roll cage, air conditioning, a Porsche Classic stereo, electric windows, billet aluminum pedals, and vintage-style RUF green-on-black gauges.

At the heart of the Limited is a hand-built, RUF-modified, air-cooled and twin-turbocharged variant of the 3.6-liter “M64/60” flat-six, wringing out a remarkable 625 horsepower – some 135 horsepower more than the original Turbo R. Complementing this considerable increase in output is a heavily modified suspension with GT2 rear bushings, massive slotted and ventilated disc brakes with six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, and RUF’s trademark 19 inch five-spoke light alloy wheels finished in silver. Capable of eclipsing the Yellowbird’s top speed at 212 miles per hour, this potent package is further bolstered by a RUF-developed six-speed manual transmission sending power to all four wheels.

Upon its completion in 2017, this Turbo R Limited was featured on the cover of the December 2017 issue of Excellence and subsequently delivered to its original owner based in the U.S. Showing just 133 miles on the odometer, the RUF then passed to its second and current owner in 2018, with the accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report indicating that it has remained primarily in the Northeast since their acquisition. Now showing just under 3,100 total miles at the time of cataloging, this exceptionally rare factory-built RUF has been diligently serviced by Speedsport Tuning in Danbury, Connecticut under current ownership, including servicing overseen by Marcel Ruf – grandson of RUF founder Alois Ruf Sr. Offered in excellent condition, this is an outstanding opportunity to acquire the ultimate and last iteration of the air-cooled 993-generation 911 is not likely to repeat itself.