Ivan Vicario Martin
We start our time machine to go back 37 years, specifically to 1987. The 80s They were a golden decade for sports trainers, with companies such as Gemballa, Koenig, rimspeed o Sbarro, For example. Among them we find Ruf Automobile and its most famous creation, the RUF CTR “Yellowbird”, a model that at the time became the fastest car in the world.
They took as a basis a Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, since it was more aerodynamic and lighter than the Turbo. The engine was thoroughly prepared, bringing the displacement up to 3,4 liters and incorporating a supercharging system composed of two turbos and two intercoolers. In addition, the DME injection system used by the Porsche 962 of resistance. The result was a maximum power of 469 CV at 5.950 laps and a torque figure of 553 Nm at 5.100 rpm. The four-speed gearbox was changed to a five-speed gearbox that could withstand such figures.
Additionally, 200 kilograms were removed from the car to leave the final figure at 1.150 kg. In this way, the RUF CTR “Yellowbird” became a surface-to-surface missile, with a top speed that made them seem slow Ferrari F40 or Porsche 959. In 1989, managed to reach 342 km/h, closing 0 to 100 km/h in just 3,9 seconds. To reach 200 km/h from a standstill, he used only 10,5 s, a current sports car figure.
THE RUF CTR “YELLOWBIRD” FLYING IN NÜRBURGRING
With the deployment we have described, it is not surprising that the magazine journalists Road & Track They nicknamed him “Yellowbird” during a testing session. In fact, the acronym CTR stands for Group C Turbo RUF, a statement of intent. Besides, Its price was $142.900., well below the almost 400.000 dollars that a Ferrari F40, For example. RUF built only 29 units based on chassis provided by Porche, while it is estimated that another 20 or 30 copies were made with cars supplied by the buyers themselves.
To demonstrate the speed of the car, The “Yellowbird” was thoroughly tested on the Nürburgring Circuit, known as “Green Hell”. The video we offer you below was also recorded there, with Stefan Roser, the RUF test pilot, giving his all to the driver of the CRT. Without electronic aids or other tricks, fighting and enjoying behind the wheel. They called it “Faszination on the Nürburgring” and It's a true exhibition of old-fashioned driving..
