Why Ruf?

27 October 2024

Quality, history, and customer service are some of the main factors that draw me to the Ruf family and the cars they produce. Like many people before me, I was first introduced to Ruf by seeing that famous video of the Yellowbird sliding and smoking its way around the Nurburgring. I visited the factory in Pfaffenhausen and had my first behind-the-wheel experience with Ruf vehicles in December 2016. Alois tossed me the keys to a red CTR 3, and we went for a blast around the local roads. What a treat! The CTR3 is a real brute and completely unique with its race-car-like sequential shifter. Despite the freezing temperatures and Cup 2 rubber, I was surprised at how confidence-inspiring the car was. Alois, Estonia, and the whole Ruf family are a wonderful group. You can sense the pride they take in the products they produce, and deservedly so. In the modern world we live in, it’s becoming harder to experience the analog thrill we desire. In a sea of electronics, hybrids, and automatic transmissions, Ruf is a breath of fresh air. They strike an amazing balance of old-school look and feel with modern reliability and safety — a real win-win in my book. I think it is so admirable that they took the difficult route to become a true manufacturer. If it were easy, everyone would do it. I'm lucky to own the new CTR Anniversary and an RTR. I hope to continue growing the Ruf collection.