8 Crazy 911s Not Built By Porsche

In 1987, the German tuning house RUF decided the Porsche 911 should be a supercar and built the CTR. Also known as the CTR Yellowbird, it started as a stock 911 Carrera 3.2, went through an extreme weight-loss program, the 3.2-liter flat-six engine was bored out to 3.4 liters, and twin turbochargers were added. RUF integrated a roll cage for safety and as part of stiffening the chassis, then built a beefed-up five-speed transmission to handle the Yellowbird’s 469 hp and 408 lb-ft of torque. Those power figures were RUF’s most conservative estimate and, mixed with its 2,600 lb weight, gave the car a power-to-weight ratio similar to modern Porsches.

It became an enthusiast legend for two reasons. First, its 3.7-second zero to 60 mph time and 7.8-second zero to 100 mph times were incredible in the 1980s. Second, a video was released of test driver Stefan Roser taking the car around the Nurburgring in spectacular fashion. There is now a modern RUF CTR Anniversary model that follows in the original’s footsteps with a carbon fiber chassis and 710 hp.