Unlocking The Top Speed Of A 2001 Ruf RTurbo 550 On The German Autobahn

The RUF 550 is based on the 996-generation Porsche 911 and was offered by RUF Automobile with three engine output options - 520, 550, and 590 horsepower respectively. With the upgraded engines RUF also offered additional performance parts, the choice of RWD or AWD drivetrains, and two choices of body shells - widebody Turbo body or narrow Carrera body.

Buyers had two options for the Ruf RTurbo: a complete car built by Ruf with its own VIN, or a conversion kit for their existing Porsche 996 (keeping the original Porsche VIN). Every variant of the Ruf Turbo came with the same 3.6-liter flat-six in different stages of tune. The 550 used in the video outs out 550 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. The car also features a 5-speed Triptronic S gearbox which sends power to all four wheels.

The Ruf 550 Packs Explosive Acceleration And Serious Speed Pace Even By Modern Standards

In typical AutotopNL style, the video gives us a great view of the car’s speedometer, GPS-based speedometer (more accurate), and analog tachometer showing us just how formidable the RUF 550 truly is, even today. This particular example has over 133,200 kilometers (82,766 miles) on the clock. The car blitzes past 120 MPH in under 60 seconds. This speed run was done on a stretch of Autobahn without a speed limit.

Contrary to popular belief the entirety of the Autobahn is not free of speed limits, with some sections having limits on how fast you can drive. The RUF RTurbo 550 features a Ruf-tuned engine with upgraded KKK turbos, remapped ECU, GT3 engine mounts, an upgraded valvetrain system, a modified VarioCam system, and an exhaust system with a bypass valve.

In the video, this engine helps the Ruf 550 accelerate quite freely on the long, beautiful stretches of the Autobahn. The car effortlessly hits triple figures, with the speedometer reading 337 km/h (210 mph) at its fastest before the driver eases off. We do not see just how fast the Ruf 550 can be in the video, although we can safely say that the official figure of 218 MPH could have been easily breached if the driver had kept pushing the Ruf 550.

If you would like to experience the power of a Ruf-modified Porsche, they can be quite expensive, but they do appear on exclusive auctions sporadically. According to Classic.com, the lowest recorded sale price was $199,100 for a 2004 RUF RGT RS in 2020. The highest price ever recorded was $2,040,000 for a 1998 RUF Turbo R Limited in 2022.