Ruf Tribute: A Modern Homage to the Air-Cooled Porsche 911

Ruf Automobile GmbH, renowned for its custom Porsche builds, has unveiled a new vehicle that pays homage to the legendary air-cooled Porsche 911.

Revealed during this year's Monterey Car Week, the Ruf Tribute is a specially crafted model that offers a unique fusion of classic Porsche aesthetics with modern innovation.

The Tribute is a wide-bodied masterpiece based on Ruf's fabled CTR Anniversary model, but it distinguishes itself with an in-house developed, air-cooled, twin-turbo 3.6-liter flat-six engine. Alois Ruf Jr., the company's mastermind, has infused new technology into the traditional air-cooled design, resulting in a highly responsive powerplant with 543 hp (404 kW / 550 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque.

It features four cams, three valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, and lift, dry-sump lubrication, dual intercoolers, a Bosch engine management system, and twin catalytic converters.

While the Tribute might look like a tastefully modified Porsche 964, it's actually built on Ruf's bespoke carbon-fiber monocoque chassis, providing extra rigidity with an integrated roll cage. The car sports a beautiful green bodywork contrasted by copper-finished center-lock wheels and yellow brake calipers.

It carries over the double wishbone suspension with pushrod-actuated coilovers and large brakes from previous models, promising exceptional road performance.

Ruf has yet to announce whether the Tribute is a one-off creation or part of a limited-production run, but considering the newly developed engine, it may very well be available for sale. One thing is certain: the Tribute won't come cheap, but for the enthusiasts who appreciate the blend of heritage and modern technology in a truly iconic design, it might just be priceless.