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Some engineers might back down from a challenge. The engine designers at RUF don't quit quite as easily. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, CarBuzz got up and close with its latest project — an eight-cylinder boxer engine that produces crazy performance figures and a sound unlike any other. While other Porsche-based tuners, restomodders, and coachbuilders simply take an old engine and modify it, RUF is actively building something that we haven't seen on the road before.
'On Paper, It Makes No Sense'
Speaking with CarBuzz at the show, Aloisa Ruf, the future leader of the manufacturer and daughter of engineering mastermind Alois Ruf, was giddy to show off the latest creation from the family-run company. "It's quite crazy and expensive," she said at the RUF B8 unveiling over the Goodwood weekend. "It makes no sense, but we like it when people tell us we can't do something."
"So many things are a wolf in sheepskin, but the B8 is going to be a wolf in wolfskin. I hope that people see it now, and if they don't, they may look back and see it then."
- Aloisa Ruf, RUF Automobile
The prototype boxer-eight engine currently sits in a modified CTR-3 body that has been stretched to accommodate the motor, but the automaker has every intention of bringing it to the road. "By only building 30 cars a year and having 100 employees, we believe in chasing our dreams and pushing for them," Aloisa said.
The Boxer-Eight Comes With Its Challenges
The reason automakers haven't really adopted this engine is because it's pretty challenging to adapt to the road. The V8 and V6 have become the standard for road-going engines due to their relatively simple access points, compact design, and familiarity with the layout. The boxer-eight's low placement gives it a great low center of gravity and allows for a lower body line, but it would be impractical for a road car, given the space it would take up horizontally.
The Biggest Challenge So Far
"One of the main challenges has been the oil system," Aloisa said. "Honestly, ECUs are always a challenge, but it's nothing we can't solve. We just keep pursuing perfection." The boxer-eight also features a twin-turbo setup mated to a manual transmission, pushing over 1000 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. Displacement sits at 4.8 liters.
While the engine is the star of the show at the moment, the company says that all elements of the car have racing inspiration. That comes in the form of double wishbone suspension with pushrods, an integrated roll cage, and dry sump lubrication. "It's been a brainchild of my father for many years," Aloisa admitted. That dry sump nature is vital, because without an oil pan, the motor can be mounted even lower in the car's chassis.
CarBuzz Insight — Why This Matters
At a time when people feel the internal combustion engine has run out of steam, RUF shows us that there's still some clearance for breakthroughs. New configurations don't come around very often, so to see such a legendary enthusiast marque building on years of technical know-how is brilliant.
Its dynamic debut going up the Goodwood Hillclimb is also a strong reason why the engine is being talked about so much. RUF has always been seen as a Porsche tuner (a word which Aloisa hates), despite the fact that every RUF receives its own VIN and is technically a registered manufacturer in its own right. But in building an engine in a configuration that even Porsche never did in roadgoing production form, RUF is hoping to put to bed those tuner allegations once and for all.
