RUF

RUF - A Passion for Porsche

Tucked away in the German town of Pfaffenhausen is the small independent company RUF Automobile. Owned and managed by Alois Ruf, the company specialises in tuning Porsche automobiles to the highest standards, as well as restoring classic Porsches to their original glory. It has gained TuV status as an independent manufacturer.

History

The company was opened in 1939, on the same site that the current garage occupies. Back then, it was a general service garage, caring for all of Pfaffenhausen's motoring needs, and run by Ruf Sr. By 1949, an element of growth was evident, and a petrol station was built on the premises. AUTO RUF, as it was known then, started to diversify from general mechanics, and a tour bus was produced - the first of its kind in Germany. Demand for similar vehicles was strong, and a certain bus company was set up parallel to the automobile section.

Meanwhile, Ruf Jr. was developing a penchant for Porsche, and began to restore the first Porsche cars of RUF in the late 1960s. By 1974, Ruf Jr. was in overall charge of the company, and chose the Porsche 911 as a development car to show the capability of his company. The rest, as they say, is history. . .

The First Porsche

The RUF Porsche made its debut in 1975, and two years later, a 3.3 litre turbocharged flat-six engine was introduced. The legendary 'Yellowbird' was born, and RUF was well on its way to becoming one of the best-known tuners of Porsche in the entire world.