There’s a multitude of different approaches that automotive enthusiasts consider when examining what is determined to be a rare car. There’s rare automobiles in general, and then there’s the Porsche community, which brings the process of clarification and documentation to a completely different level in terms of elaborateness and complexity. This car shown here can easily be regarded as one of the purest definitions of a rare car, which is not quite a Porsche, but is just about as close you can get, if not better. This is the 1 of approximately 7 ever produced, 1998 RUF Turbo R Limited, chassis W09BD0360WPR06036. The RUF Turbo R Limited might look something like a Porsche 911, but in fact, the model is manufactured by German car manufacturer, Ruf Automobile GmbH, which is a company that manufactures vehicles using unmarked Porsche chassis, specifically known as bodies in white. These Ruf-built cars are assembled entirely from the ground up, using bare chassis, and Ruf-developed materials, which is a major difference from badge engineering or disassembly of already existing models. The Ruf brand is officially recognized by the German government as an automotive manufacturer, and all Ruf models have certified Ruf VIN and serial numbers. On top of just creating their own vehicles, Ruf also converts factory-built, client-owned Porsche examples to it’s own incredibly high standard. The Turbo R model is based on Porsche’s last iteration of the air-cooled 911, the Type 993 Turbo, and in order to create this model, Ruf purchased seven total 993 Turbo bodies from the Porsche factory in the hopes to create one of the world’s most visceral air-cooled street-legal vehicles of all time. This car shown here is the very 1st car of the 7 total produced in the series, and is finished in ‘Irish Green’ with a black leather and Alcantara interior.
How many made? 1 of 7
Engine: 3.6L twin-turbocharged M64 SOHC flat-6 - 620bhp
Debut: n/a
0-60mph: n/a
Top Speed: around 212mph
Photo Credit: @rmsothebys, @nicklankester
Research: @rarecarsonly