“The CTR Yellowbird was a significant turning point for RUF and for modern performance cars in general, and it remains a testament to the very essence of our brand: an unrelenting commitment to engineering excellence, innovative technical design, and the highest possible standard of automotive performance. 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.

We are incredibly excited to see this exceptional example come to auction, sure to set a new milestone for RUF as one of our most significant cars to come out of Pfaffenhausen. The presentation of this Yellowbird at Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island Auctions signals a new chapter for the ever-growing appreciation of these air-cooled classics in the global marketplace. With its remarkably low mileage, originality, and provenance consisting of just two private owners from new, this Leichtbau Yellowbird is a prime example of our definitive model. We look forward to welcoming its next fortunate owner into the RUF family.”

— Alois and Estonia Ruf

Pfaffenhausen, a small village west of Munich, is home to RUF Automobile GmbH, one of the most unique sports car manufacturers in the world.

The company’s founder, Alois Ruf Sr., developed a fascination with Porsche cars in the early 1960s; in the decades since, RUF has established a singular relationship with the marque. Beginning with the sales and service of Porsches, the company has evolved into a boutique manufacturer of exotic, finely engineered supercars. While RUFs share many desirable qualities with their Porsche relatives, they possess their own inimitable character and style.

RUF’s history as a manufacturer can be traced back to 1974, when Alois Ruf Jr. took over the company. In 1981, the German Federal Bureau of Motor Vehicles certified RUF Automobile GmbH as an independent manufacturer and, ever since, the company has continued to build extraordinary cars for discerning enthusiasts.

The first RUF model to carry a W09-prefix chassis number was the BTR of 1983, a completely re-engineered version of Porsche’s 930, with a 3.4-liter turbocharged engine and a bespoke five-speed transaxle developed in-house.

In 1987, RUF unveiled the radical new CTR, which set new standards for performance in a road-going sports car. Standing for “Group C Turbo RUF,” the CTR was RUF’s vision of the ultimate 911-based performance car, engineered from the outset to be a focused and uncompromising machine with a high degree of driver involvement.

RUF based its CTR on the standard, narrow-bodied 911 Carrera 3.2 to keep weight and aerodynamic drag to an absolute minimum. Beginning with a bare “body in white,” RUF replaced the standard steel Porsche doors, hood, and engine cover with their own lightweight aluminum body panels, stripping over 400 pounds from the base curb weight. Further modifications to the bodywork included removing the rain gutters, widening the rear arches to accommodate 17" Speedline alloy wheels, and fitting an external passenger-side oil-filler door like Porsche had used on the 1972 model-year 911. Other improvements included fitting aerodynamically effective side mirrors as well as special front and rear bumpers made from lightweight composite materials.

At the heart of the CTR was its 3.4-liter, air-cooled flat-six engine, which featured twin turbochargers, twin intercoolers, and an early version of Bosch Motronic fuel injection that had originally been developed for Porsche’s 962. Each CTR engine was carefully assembled with the finest internal components, individually numbered, and tested on a dynamometer before installation. Output was conservatively rated at 463 bhp at 5,950 rpm, with 408 lbs./ft. of torque available at 5,100 rpm. A cabin-mounted control knob allowed the driver to adjust turbo boost on the fly.

As with the earlier BTR, RUF continued to develop its own proprietary transaxle and, for the CTR, made an optional six-speed gearbox – at a time when Porsche’s own 930 Turbo was only available with the same four-speed transaxle it had featured since the 1970s.

Every element of the CTR was meticulously engineered and assembled with the goal of maximum performance and high-speed stability, from the upgraded suspension system to the massive Brembo brakes.

While some CTRs were custom-ordered with luxury amenities like air-conditioning and adjustable Recaro seats, performance-minded clients could specify the car in optional Leichtbau (lightweight) specification. This included aluminum front fenders, a leather-wrapped Matter aluminum roll cage, fire bottle, and Recaro racing bucket seats with shoulder harnesses.

In Leichtbau specification, the CTR tipped the scales at just over 2,500 pounds, giving the car extraordinary acceleration. When road tested in period, the RUF posted statistics that were beyond compare: 0–60 mph in 3.65 seconds, 0–100 mph in approximately 7 seconds, a quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at 133.5 mph, and the standing mile in just 27.7 seconds at 189 mph.

In many ways, the CTR truly put RUF on the map when, in 1987, it was crowned the winner of Road & Track magazine’s “World’s Fastest Car” competition, the now-legendary top speed shoot-out held at Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien test track in Germany. With a recorded top speed of 211 mph, RUF beat the best from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and AMG. This success prompted American Formula 1 world champion Phil Hill to remark: “I must say, it’s pretty extraordinary to take a car you can drive on the street and go this fast. How fast is 339 kilometers per hour in miles per hour? Two-ten or so? Amazing.”

Hill’s fellow Road & Track test driver Paul Frère was equally effusive in his praise for the CTR:

“I think Ruf is quite a remarkable tuner because his cars have absolutely no problems and they are so beautifully made, really professional. And the proof that he is very competent is the speed the car did and the way it handles at that speed. People tend to say that 911s at speed are a little bit hairy, but this was certainly not. It went straight as an arrow and also handled well in the curves. And all it had was a front spoiler and the quite normal Carrera rear spoiler. The engine sounds absolutely magnificent and the power is amazing.”

During this test session, one of Road & Track’s photographers nicknamed the CTR “Yellowbird” – and the moniker has stuck ever since.

In 1989, the CTR became the star of Faszination auf dem Nürburgring, a 20-minute promotional film produced by RUF that featured test driver Stefan Roser drifting the Yellowbird around the world’s most challenging road course in an utterly mesmerizing display of car control. Car and Driver magazine called the film “groundbreaking, enthralling and influential,” and it contributed further to the legend of the CTR.

In the nearly 40 years since its introduction, the CTR’s incredible influence and legacy has only strengthened. This groundbreaking RUF model has captured headlines in every motor magazine worldwide and has been featured in countless books, articles, films, and video games. Yet, despite its extensive media exposure, it is a rare instance to see one of the original Yellowbirds on the road or at a car event. Their extreme scarcity makes even the most exclusive supercars seem plentiful by comparison.

A continued focal point of the automotive community, the CTR’s desirability can be confirmed by the impressive roster of current owners, which includes prominent collectors of all stripes. Even RUF, a company focused on the future of its products, continues to recognize the significance of the CTR. In fact, RUF’s latest masterpiece, the CTR Anniversary, is a full-throated homage to the original Yellowbird.

The RUF CTR has become recognized the world over as the prime example of the pursuit for automotive excellence. One of the most iconic performance cars of the modern era, and surely one of the most publicized automobiles in recent history, there are few laudatory words that have not been used to describe this exceptional motorcar.

The example presented here, chassis 026, is arguably the finest CTR and air-cooled RUF extant – a definitive example of this landmark model presented in pristine original condition and showing less than 1,700 km from new.

As its chassis number suggests, this was the 26th CTR built at RUF’s workshop in Pfaffenhausen. One of just nine “Yellowbirds” originally finished in yellow, this car features the model’s definitive livery of Blutengelb (Blossom Yellow), a rare Porsche color (code 139). It was also built in the most desirable Leichtbau specification, with hood, doors, and front fenders in lightweight aluminum, and equipped with an integrated Matter aluminum roll cage, Recaro lightweight “clubsport” seats, and RUF’s proprietary six-speed manual gearbox. An optional Blaupunkt radio and speaker system are the only concession to creature comforts.

The history of this CTR is refreshingly straightforward.

Upon completion, 026 was delivered to its first owner, a German corporate entity controlled by a prominent car collector. Over the next three decades, this CTR was primarily kept in a climate-controlled storage facility where it was admired for its technical and aesthetic achievements – and driven sparingly.

The CTR remained in the hands of its original owner, never leaving Germany and without being registered until 2020, when it was sold to the current American owner, a gentleman whose car-collecting philosophy can be defined by the simple phrase: the best of the best.

Since this time, the CTR has not been driven any distance, nor has it been publicly exhibited. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer displayed just 1,673 km, approximately 1,040 miles. To maintain the car in running order, the current owner runs 026 to operating temperature on a regular schedule and has carried out fluid changes on a consistent basis.

A credit to the foresight of its two private owners, 026 is presented today in exceptional original condition. In all respects, this is a benchmark, time capsule example retaining its factory-applied paint and interior finishes, various identification plates, and serial-numbered components.

Consistent with its pristine condition, 026 is offered with important accessories and spares. Included with the sale are the tool kit; jack; tire inflator; roadside emergency equipment; and owner’s handbook folio, which contains the owner’s manual, warranty book, and literature relating to the Blaupunkt radio and Recaro seats. Also included are a RUF Zertifikat, Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin, and a copy of the original sales invoice.

Between 1987 and 1991, RUF built just 29 examples of the CTR “Yellowbird.” Despite its limited production, the CTR was a truly revolutionary car, both for its spectacular engineering and performance, and its success in captivating and inspiring a new generation of automotive enthusiasts. Without question, this remarkable machine is among the most sought-after performance cars of its era and an icon of 1980s motoring – a car discussed with the same reverence as its more common contemporaries: the Ferrari 288 GTO, Porsche 959, Bugatti EB110, and McLaren F1.

As CTRs have continued to increase in stature and value, pure, original examples have become increasingly scarce, making the appearance of a car such as this – which has not been repainted, restored, or upgraded – incredibly rare. Today, 026 is the lowest-mileage CTR known to exist.

Gooding Christie’s is thrilled to present collectors with this unique opportunity. Here is a chance to acquire one of the original RUF CTRs in effectively as-new condition. Chassis 026 is not just any Yellowbird, but a textbook example of this groundbreaking sports car, finished in the definitive Blutengelb livery, equipped with the ultra-rare, six-speed RUF gearbox, and specified in the lightest, most driver-oriented specification.

Whatever the future holds for 026, it is sure to be bright.