This is the 26th of 29 Ruf CTR Yellowbirds ever built, and it just sold at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction for a little over $6 million (around P343.6 million). Why so much, you ask? Partly because its odometer reads under 1,675km, likely making it the lowest-mileage CTR in existence. And also partly because... it’s a Ruf. Rufs are very, very cool.
This example has also been looked after as meticulously as Real Madrid does the Santiago Bernabéu’s grass. Its first owner kept it in a climate-controlled facility, while the second and most recent keeper made sure to regularly get the engine up to operational temperature to keep it in running order.
Now, about the car itself. Based on the 911 Carrera 3.2, its conversion began by replacing the original steel doors, hood, and engine cover with aluminum panels to shed 180kg. It then bolted on new bumpers, more aero-friendly mirrors, and (considerably) thickened the rear wheel arches. But the real magic lies beneath all this retro flavor.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Toyota looks set to roll out Land Cruiser EV, small hybrid pickup in 2026
Electrified for less: Kia PH introduces ‘more affordable’ Carnival hybrid for P2.888-M
The 3.4-liter air-cooled flat-six is boosted by a pair of turbos and a Bosch fuel-injection system developed for the Porsche 962. You know, that triple Le Mans-winning car. Ruf also created its own six-speed manual transmission since, at the time, the standard car was still only being offered with a four-speed.
Chassis 26 also has the Leichtbau (lightweight) pack option selected, which means more aluminum in the bodywork, a leather-wrapped roll cage, and Recaro bucket seats with harnesses. You do still get a radio, at least.
The result of all this focused thinking is clear: The Yellowbird produces 463hp and 553Nm, and since it weighs just 1,134kg, it’ll get to 100kph in under 4sec. The most impressive stat is its top speed of 340kph, which made it—for a time—the fastest car in the world. Fairly handy around the Nürburgring, too.
Whether or not the new owner—only the third in this CTR’s life—fancies a crack at the ’Ring remains to be seen, but boss Alois Ruf is fairly happy with its status. “The cultural impact of the Yellowbird could not be overstated, and we are so proud of its lasting influence that struck in awe an entire generation of enthusiasts and reinvented the benchmark for a modern performance supercar,” he said. Can’t argue with that.
More photos of the Ruf CTR Yellowbird:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
