by A new era of engines from RUF
Every year, emission standards become stricter, and most manufacturers are steering their future toward hybrid and electric technologies. Against this backdrop, the emergence of a truly new internal combustion engine, and a high-performance one at that, becomes a real rarity. RUF has done exactly that, and the result has no direct competitors on the roads.
Debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
This week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new B8 engine debuted. It is a 4.8-liter twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder boxer engine intended for a future model. For now, it is installed in a modified CTR3 prototype that combines a redesigned front end from the Porsche 911 with a special rear tubular steel chassis from Multimatic. Throughout the weekend, the car will be driven by racer and former Top Gear USA host Tanner Foust.
Unique technical specification
Only a few automakers have experimented with eight-cylinder boxer engines, let alone used them in production cars. Porsche is best known for this type of engine, but they were used exclusively in racing cars. RUF’s new eight-cylinder engine is designed to deliver over 1000 hp and 1000 Nm of torque, making it more powerful than a Lamborghini Revuelto without the need for a hybrid system.
In-house manual gearbox
Attached to the new 4.8-liter engine is a six-speed manual gearbox, which was also developed and manufactured by the German brand in-house.
Changes in the prototype design
The prototype RUF is testing has been lengthened by 100 mm compared to the standard CTR3 to accommodate the new engine. Visually, this prototype is almost indistinguishable from production CTR3s, except for a special black-and-yellow livery inspired by the legendary CTR Yellowbird.
The supercar’s body largely shares components with the CTR3 Evo model RUF introduced three years ago. It features the same engine cover, bumpers, and exhaust outlets, and looks as exotic as a car with an eight-cylinder boxer engine should.
“In the history of every company, there are moments that define the future. For RUF, the eight-cylinder boxer engine is one of those moments. A boxer engine has never been part of our history, or anyone else’s in this form, so we decided to write a new chapter in automotive history. We look forward to the engine speaking for itself at Goodwood,” said company founder Alois Ruf.
The company has not yet announced when the eight-cylinder boxer engine will debut in a new production car.
RUF’s move is a bold and somewhat nostalgic challenge to modern trends. At a time when the entire automotive industry is focused on electrification and reducing emissions, the German tuning atelier that has long become a full-fledged manufacturer demonstrates that high-performance internal combustion engines have not yet had their last word. Creating an entirely new eight-cylinder boxer engine with a manual gearbox is not just a technical achievement, but also a statement that true driving pleasure and engineering excellence can exist outside of trendy fashions. It also underscores RUF’s unique status, having the resources and courage to develop components with no market analogues, creating cars for true enthusiasts.
