There’s not much to say about the Ruf Bergmeister for the moment, as it’s only a prototype and, well, there are quite a lot of cars that look like Porsches in California right now. Some might say too many - rest assured this is quite brief.
With a look inspired by the 718 RS 60 Spyder, 909 Bergspyder and 906 (including a bumperless read end like a proper old racing Porsche), the Bergmeister is powered by a dry-sumped flat-six. A dry-sumped, turbocharged, 3.6-litre flat-six, in fact, with a 911 Carrera S-matching 450hp alongside 442lb ft. A six-speed manual is standard. Which would make it fast enough already, but the Bergmeister is also carbon bodied. And quite clearly doesn’t have a roof, so it’s going to be pretty light.
‘The best of classic design and modern engineering in a package ready to master both road and track’ is how Ruf describes this car. It feels like that might be directed more at those with access to canyon roads and Laguna Seca racetrack, but what an experience it promises to be for sunny Sundays. Or Mondays. Or any day of the week, really - if you have a Ruf speedster like this, you’re going to use it whenever you want to.
For the moment, Ruf will only highlight the Alcantara wheel, bucket seats and direct steering that ‘responds to the slightest wheel input and ensures precise handling’ as additional Bergmeister highlights. However, if ever a car was going to sell on the aesthetic, this is it. Maybe it’s not a beautiful Porsche, but it will get attention. And in a seemingly saturated market of very expensive, very desirable old 911s, that will count for as much as anything. ‘Bergmeister embodies the most elemental driving experience’, said Alois Ruf. Sounds good enough to us - we’ll take it just like this in the 2.7 RS colour scheme, thanks very much. And that’s all the Porsche news from California done. Promise. Hopefully.
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