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WikipediaRuf came into the public eye in 1987 when they released their Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2-based CTR, an extremely limited-production model which for several years held the title of world's fastest production vehicle. Wanting an ultra-high performance model to remain among the company offerings, Alois Ruf Jr., the company owner, followed up the original with a CTR2 in 1995, based on the then-new 993-chassis 911 Turbo. Priced at $315,000 USD, the CTR2 featured either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel-drive, Recaro racing seats with Simpson five-point belts, enlarged brakes, an integrated roll-cage, a Ruf manufactured coil-over suspension system, an integrated bi-functional rear wing (for downforce, and air induction to 2 intercoolers, one on each side) and a kevlar body with lightweight glass; power came from a Ruf-tuned version of the Porsche-built 3.6 litre, twin-turbocharged flat-six engine, also an enlarged version of the 3.2L flat-six motor found in the Porsche 962 Le Mans Group C car, and producing 520 hp (388 kW) and 505 foot-pounds (685 N·m) of torque. The car's engine was revised later to bump the power output to 580 hp (433 kW).
Capable of running from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds and hitting a top speed in excess of 220 miles per hour (354 km/h) - actual recorded top speed was 217 mph - the CTR2 was one of the fastest production supercars in the world, capable of performing on-par with and even out-running Ferrari's F50, Jaguar's XJ220, and later, Nissan's R390 GT1. The one million dollar McLaren F1 was the only production car at the time which was later found to have performed better under testing, by 1998, making the Ruf CTR2 the 2nd fastest production car of the day.
To prove his new car's ability, in 1997, Alois Ruf entered two special wide-body 'CTR2 Yellowbird' prototypes, 'Sport' versions, code-named 'CTR2sport' with 702 hp (523 kW) in the 1997 Pikes Peak Hillclimb race. These cars were stringently built to both FIA and Pikes Peak regulations and driven by brothers Steve Beddor and David Beddor. Unlike the other competitors, both cars were not only race modified, but also duly road registered, tractable, street legal cars. In a demonstration of the Ruf's flexibility, they were street driven to and from the Pikes Peak racecourse, and as a lasting testament to the Ruf CTR2sport's enormous capabilities, Steve Beddor was 1st in overall qualifying (despite driving a legal street car) and finished 2nd overall in the race, while his brother David, (in the second Ruf) finished a close 4th overall. Steve Beddor's 'Pikes Peak' prototype; the Ruf CTR2sport, then went on to win the Virginia City Hill Climb an astonishing 3 times while racking up some 20 other 1st place finishes nationwide, making it arguably one of the most important 'non-Zuffenhausen' Porsche racecars of the 1990s.
14 standard CTR2's were made for production, alongside 15 CTR2 "Sport" versions.
Power: 702 hp @ 7300 rpm
Torque: 580 lb-ft. @ 5500 rpm
