RUF R Spyder Makes Roofless Monterey Debut With 503-HP Naturally Aspirated Flat-6

Aug. 17, 2023 11:10 AM ET bySebastian Cenizo Reveal /3 Comments

Want a Ferrari Monza SP2 but would never be seen dead in an Italian car? Boy, do we have something for you.

German sports car manufacturer RUFhas unveiled two new cars for Monterey Car Week, one of which is the RUF R Spyder you see here. As usual, the car is comprehensively different from anyPorsche 911 Carrera Cabrioletthat may have donated some components and leans into the allure of impracticality in a way that the world's most usable sports car never normally would.

Exact details are scant, but we know that the R Spyder is motivated by a 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, the same sort of recipe that makes the911 GT3so intoxicating. It's likely the same 503-horsepower unit aspreviously used in the RUF SCR. Best of all, the R Spyder makes use of a six-speed manual gearbox.

As impressive as that is, the powertrain is not what will draw crowds at Pebble Beach this weekend.

The two-seater speedster features a central spine separating the two occupants, who are sat in carbon-shelled GT3 RS-style seats. This spine - reminiscent of that seen on theone-off Lamborghini Concept S- serves as a mounting point for the two individual wind deflector cocoons and also houses a chronograph, just like you'd get in a Porsche with the Sport Chrono package. Behind the timepiece, the spine leads to a functional intake for the aforementioned engine.

As if that didn't create a dramatic enough look, the wing mirrors have been replaced by fender-mounted cameras on stalks. Finally, the carbon fiber rear deck culminates in an integrated ducktail spoiler and includes sculpted nacelles that house a pair of helmets, just like you'd get in anAston Martin V12 Speedster. These head shields will definitely be necessary if you don't want your teeth to be the final resting place of all the local insects.

Finer details include carbon-ceramic brakes, lightweight suspension (MacPherson-strut front, five-link rear), and a valvetrain featuring DLC-coated rocker arms and variable timing for both intake and exhaust valves. DLC is a diamond-like carbon coating, so the engine should be up to sustained punishment on the track - if the Spyder R ever makes it there. We can see loads of carbon fiber, and it appears that this creation is a mix of 997 and 992 models. These factors, combined with RUF's fastidious build quality, mean that the Spyder R will not have come cheaply.

But whatever it costs, it's worth it. It's got the presence and peculiarity of the one-off Lamborghini Concept S in a package that will likely last forever. As long as it costs less than the million-dollar Aston Martin V12 Speedster, it's a winner. A highly impractical winner and one that will irk your hairdresser, but a winner nonetheless.