This is the Ruf Rodeo. It is yet another example of why Ruf—a bit like Alpina—remains an extraordinarily cool maker of automobiles, because what we have here is very clearly an old 911 designed and modified to run full pelt off-road.
First revealed as a concept in Ye Olde Days Before The Pandemic, it’s now a fully-fledged production car fittingly unveiled at the Monterey Car Week. Which is in Monterey. Which is in California. In America.
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Fitting, because boss Alois Ruf Jr. said this car was built to honor the American West. He also noted how he wanted to build something ‘fun,’ and so let us beg]in with its very beaty beating heart: a 3.6-liter flat-six developed by Ruf that’s been subject to a lot of work.
It’s water-cooled. Both the head and block are made from aluminium. There are special cams. Dry sump lubrication. Two-stage resonance induction. And a fly-by-wire throttle that’ll have you flying by the seat of your pants, because the end result is 610hp and 699Nm of torque.
That’s channeled to all four wheels via a pair of limited-slip diffs on the front and rear axles and a six-speed manual gearbox. There’s no word on a 0-100kph time, but it does promise 250kph flat out.
Indeed, it’ll do its best to flatten out the terrain, via pushrod-actuated coilovers with active dampers designed for off-road abuse and able to increase the ride height up 9.5 inches. The engine, gearbox, and suspension are all housed inside a carbon-fiber monocoque featuring spaceframe front and rear subframes, and carbon-fiber body panels on top. Oh, and there’s a roll cage too.
The lightweight five-spoke 18s are wrapped in all-terrain Goodyears, hiding six-pot calipers up front, four-pot at the back, and massive discs all round. There’s ABS and traction control, and also air-con and other interior luxuries for when those two former systems are being used extensively. Indeed, there are lightweight buckets, a three-spoke sport steering wheel, and leather/Alcantara used inside.
“We wanted to create a car that evokes a sense of nostalgia while benefitting from the thrill of modern technology that can let you go anywhere,” said Ruf Jr. “We have a deep sense of connection to the beauty of the American West and wanted to honour that in the Rodeo.
“And, most importantly, we wanted to create something fun.” Running full pelt on an off-road course certainly sounds like fun, no?
More photos of the Ruf Rode Porsche 911:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
