Alois Ruf may not be a household name for the average household, but for those who are in the know, the man can simply be credited for his creation of a fantastic car called the 2008 RUF CTR3. Contrary to popular belief, RUF has been in operation for more than six decades, although Alois was the one instrumental for venturing into the sport car industry. Ever since the very first Porsche-inspired RUF car, Alois wanted to get a share of the ultra-competitive exotic car market. With that being said, he recently launched the 2008 RUF CTR3 that made a few heads turn during several auto shows. So what’s with this super car that others don’t have? Alois basically sums it up with one phrase: Bugatti Veyron performance in just 1/3 of the price. If you think that statement is too unbelievable, better read on and find out.
The Car
The 2008 RUF CTR3 seems like a Porsche and it’s not surprising since it was heavily influenced by it. However, the performance of this car is certainly very far from the best Porsche cars out there. Basically, it has carbon-fiber bodywork that lets it glide effortlessly on the road. Despite of that, Alois knew that it’s going to be a very good idea of compromise toughness. Also, the 2008 RUF CTR3 has a completely reupholstered leather and Alcantara interior for that additional stylish look that you are looking for.
Without a doubt, this car is as good as it looks when it comes to performance. The 2008 RUF CTR3 has a 3.6 liter flat-6 Porsche engine that is capable of unleashing a monstrous 700 horsepower. To put that in perspective, that’s enough to power to put into use several buses all at once. In addition, it can zoom to 60 miles in just 3.2 seconds and if you don’t know fast it is, it will probably take you longer to finish this sentence than this car reaching 60 miles. If that’s not enough, this car can go as fast as 235 mph, while producing an intense 657 lb.-ft of torque. Despite of the many observations that the 2008 RUF CTR3 looks like an upgraded Porsche, it still maintains its originality and identity is certainly its own.
The Practicality
A super car such as this can cost as much as 519,000 USD and that’s a lot of money if you’re not filthy rich. The car isn’t going to produce that much power if its target is fuel economy, although it has pretty decent MPG numbers. The 2008 RUF CTR3 can use up a gallon of fuel for 13 miles in the city and 18 miles in the highway. Having said that, it offers more to the table compared to other super cars out there and the great thing is, it does not cost as much.
Moreover, the 2008 RUF CTR3 can really age gracefully as proven by some of the cars that its manufacturer has launched in the past. Aside from that, getting the 2008 RUF CTR3 repaired is not a problem at all, considering the sheer number of service centers that RUF has all over the US. Another thing is that this car isn’t very demanding when it comes to maintenance. Despite of that, it continues to be a tiger that has been under large amounts of energy drinks when on the road.
Overall, the 2008 RUF CTR3 is a good choice if you have the means. Looks wise, it is far from a Veyron, although it’s not too far behind when it comes to performance.
