Hearing the name of Porsche tuner Ruf probably makes you think of one of two things: the iconic CTR ‘Yellowbird’ being heroically sent around the Nordschleife at full chat by test driver Stefan Roser, or its once-common role as a Porsche substitute in games during the days of the Stuttgart manufacturer’s exclusivity deal with EA.
There’s a lot more that the company does, though. In addition to making some fantastic brand-new but classic-looking Porsche-inspired cars, since 2007 it’s been building its own mid-engined supercar, the CTR3.
Ruf CTR3 Clubsport – side
Now, though it’s based on a bespoke mid-engined platform developed by revered motorsport outfit Multimatic, there’s still plenty of Porsche in the CTR3. Most of the interior, for instance, plus the head- and taillights, not to mention its 3.7-litre twin-turbo flat-six. But it’s very much its own thing, and vanishingly rare at that, which is why it’s remarkable that there’s one currently up for sale in the UK.
Not only that, but it’s an uprated Clubsport model from 2013, boasting a massive 777bhp and 723lb ft of torque from that boxer six, sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed PDK ’box.
Ruf CTR3 Clubsport – interior
And did we mention that this is an even rarer right-hand drive example, and one that’s basically box-fresh at that? It was supplied new in 2013 by Ruf’s Singapore outlet, and was pretty much instantly squirrelled away in a storage facility. It was then shipped to Britain about eight years ago, and spent more time doing a whole lot of nothing before finally being road registered late last year. It seems to be in that most recent period that it’s accrued the bulk of its tiny 143-mile figure.
Then again, if you’re worried about the impact of all that time sitting around not being driven, don’t: over the summer, it was shipped off to Ruf HQ in Germany, where around £19,000 was spent on bringing it back up to snuff.
Ruf CTR3 Clubsport – rear
And now, it’s looking for a new owner via Collecting Cars’ new Sealed Bids platform, designed for the behind-closed-doors sales of more high-value cars like this. That means we have no idea how bidding’s going, but let’s be honest – it’s going to go for more than, say, a ratty 987 Cayman, isn’t it? Bidding’s open now, so all that remains is for us to plead with whoever buys it to actually drive it this time. Please.
#UltraRare #AlmostNew #Ruf #CTR3 #Clubsport