RUF RK COUPE,
- Arman Akkaya
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
It was July 2021, and I was on vacation with my wife and kids, and I got a call on my mountain bike. A friend called me and told me about a business partner who wanted to sell his RUF RK Coupé. I had to ask twice because I didn't recognize this model. Even after taking off my bike helmet, I couldn't mentally match the model name with a picture of the vehicle. The friend suggested bringing his business partner on the call, since neither of us knew the model. And yes, it was a Ruf RK Coupé that the business partner wanted to sell. Pictures attached.
About the vehicle:
Introduced in 2006, the RUF RK Coupé—the abbreviation stands for RUF Kompressor—was based on the Porsche Cayman S Type 987.1. A derivative of the RUF R/RK Spyder introduced in 2005, the RK Coupé was another collaboration with Studiotorino, an Italian design house with long roots in coachbuilding. Designed by Aldo Brovarone, the designer responsible for the Ferrari 250 LM, the Daytona, and the Dino during his time as Pininfarina's styling chief, the RK Coupé differed from the Cayman with a redesigned roof panel without rear side windows and a new carbon fiber trunk lid with a vertical rear window—a nod to the Porsche 904 GTS. Other changes included new front and rear bumpers, Porsche 550 Spyder-inspired taillights, a racing-style external fuel filler neck, and bespoke three-piece alloy wheels. The chassis was optimized with stiffer springs and modified shock absorbers, while larger 330 mm Brembo disc brakes increased stopping power.
The Cayman's original 3.4-liter engine was replaced with a 3.8-liter flat-six from the 997-generation Carrera S. Powered by a radial supercharger with intercooler, redesigned intake manifolds, reprogrammed engine management, and a bespoke sports exhaust system, the upgraded engine produced 440 hp at 7,000 rpm and 600 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. Mated to a RUF six-speed manual transaxle transmission sending power to the rear wheels, the RK Coupé accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reached a top speed of 280 km/h.
This 2007 RUF RK Coupé is one of only two ever built and the only fully produced example. Finished in Marble Gray—a light gray reminiscent of early Porsche colors such as Heron Gray or Dolphin Gray, which in some lighting can appear more cream than gray—over a black leather interior with contrasting red stitching, the car's interior features lightweight carbon fiber bucket seats, Porsche Communication Management with navigation, a short-throw RUF gearshift, and a front axle lift system. This unique RK Coupé, with a mileage of 6,642 miles at the time of our sale, has had just one conscientious German owner and is presented in extremely original and immaculate condition throughout.
To the customer:
We sold this RK Coupé to an American collector, and it came with his books, accessories, maintenance records, a RUF certificate, and other documentation. This collector subsequently sent me a photo of a baby blue RUF Turbo R, about which he only knew that the car was located in Germany. Using our network, we found the location and owner three days later, laying the foundation for the follow-up deal with our American collector. More on the RUF Turbo R in another story...we can reveal that the American customer, now a friend, commissioned and purchased a total of five cars from us in 18 months. The highlight of our work for him was a RUF CTR Yellowbird...you can find more information about this car in another story.
Further information about the vehicle and the history of the collaboration between Alois Ruf and Studio Torino can be found here:
Our American collector then sold the car again at auction a year later:
