Ruf Automobile GmbH—simply known as RUF—was founded in 1939 by Alois Ruf Sr. as a service station that would eventually evolve into a powerhouse of Porsche customisation and performance. By 1960, RUF was involved in the servicing and maintenance of Porsches, mostly thanks to the efforts of Ruf’s son, Alois Ruf Jr. Following the death of the senior Ruf in 1974, his son steered the company towards building their own Porsche-based derivatives and in 1977, their first model, the RUF Turbo 3.3 was released.

In 1983, RUF launched the ground-breaking BTR, powered by a turbocharged flat six-cylinder engine derived from the Porsche 911 Turbo and modified by RUF to displace 3.4 litres and produce 369 bhp. The BTR had a top speed of 190 mph and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. In 1984 it was named one of the world’s fastest cars by Road & Track.

The vehicle offered here left the Stuttgart factory as a naturally aspirated Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet “Turbo-Look”, finished in the elegant shade of Prussian Blue Metallic over a blue leather interior. It was delivered on 30 April 1985 by the supplying dealer, Raffay Porsche-Zentrum of Hamburg. That same year, the vehicle was sent to RUF and converted to BTR specification. The BTR turbocharger and engine were fitted, as were a set of RUF 17-inch alloy wheels. RUF fixtures were installed inside the cabin.

The Porsche service book shows this vehicle was serviced by the supplying dealer on 20 June 1985, with the following services undertaken by RUF, at 18,402 kilometres in 1989 and at 34,158 kilometres in 1991. This BTR is presented with a Porsche VIN report and Porsche ephemera, including a service book and operating manual. The odometer shows 49,398 kilometres at the time of cataloguing.