Ruf Rt12 Turbo - Over The Top

As if seat-pinning acceleration isn't entertaining of itself, the Rt12 adds a bit of unique flair just before your outside surroundings start to get blurry. Step on the throttle and you hear a distinct whisper of air being released as the twin KKK turbos hit their maximum boost pressure. The sound soon induces a Pavlovian response by driver and passenger to hunker down further into their seats. Hunkering down also best describes the action induced by the Rt12's massive Brembo-sourced (six-piston front, four-piston rear) ceramic brakes. At more than $8,000 they may seem a bit pricey, but it's cheap insurance in a 650-bhp, 220-mph land rocket.

Since we have broached the subject, the price of this particular Rt12 was 267,000 euro, or $340,000 at the prevailing rate of exchange. This is for a car with a complete luxury-oriented interior with full leather and suede trim plus navigation and a killer stereo. Other items included the completely integrated suede-and-leather-covered roll cage (GT2 owners eat your hearts out), no back seat, and a (suede-covered, no less) harness bar with four-point racing belts. The base 550-bhp, 3.6-liter Rt12 goes for 194,500 euro, with another 3,000 euro to bring it up to U.S. specifications. The 3.8-liter engine adds 28,000 euro. As these are basically bespoke vehicles that take about three months to manufacture, RUF will build one to your specs, be it a high-power low-weight track missile or something as plush as the orange test car.

Now here's the kicker and what makes RUF cars so special: Carrera GT-like (possibly GT-whipping) performance for less money in a car that you can truly use every day on your daily commute. This car's owner has spent hours in traffic without overheating. I spent an hour in bumper-to-bumper toll way traffic myself and had no problems. The clutch was the easiest and smoothest of any Porsche I've driven. And the engine is so docile in normal operation, you tend to forget that there are 650 horses corralled back there-until you hit the gas and hear that whisper of air. Suddenly it's "yee-ha" time again.

Ruf: Porsche Enthusiasts at WorkAlois Ruf first came to the U.S. more than 30 years ago as a wide-eyed 19-year-old country boy charged with selling three modified 911s to provide working capital for the family auto shop in Pfaffenhausen, Germany. He remains true to his automotive and family routes building up to 35 RUF automobiles a year in his rural hometown midway between Stuttgart and Munich.

In November 2004, RUF established a U.S. dealership in Dallas to sell and service cars as well as distribute parts and perform conversion work. It is run by three partners who are just as passionate about Porsches. Wayne Corley left a career as a corporate attorney to sell Porsches at a Dallas dealership. Hans Hoffmann, who grew up next door to the Nrburgring, worked in parts and service at the same dealership. He and Corley became friends based on their mutual passion for driving Porsches at track events. Dr. Jacky Roffe was a customer who Corley and Hoffmann soon initiated into the ranks of Porsche track junkies. When Hoffmann learned that Alois Ruf, whom he had met while servicing RUF customer cars, was interested in setting up a U.S. dealership, he and Corley partnered up with Jacky to establish the RUF Auto Center.