Almost exactly a year on from Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH announcing its plans for a Porsche 959 Rally-inspired supercar, the German firm has confirmed a partnership with Ruf to deliver the new model’s engine. With MPG using the 992 Turbo S as a base for its bespoke newcomer, Ruf promises to extract over 750hp and 686lb ft of torque from Porsche’s twin-turbo flat-six, gains of 100hp and 96lb ft over the standard car. The tuner says the upgraded motor will still be WLTP and RDE compliant – and fully adapted to work in MPG’s off-road-capable performance machine.
Expect high-mounted intakes and a thick layer of sump protection for the engine, which – as a 21st century nod to Porsche’s 959 Dakar legend – is liable to be popular with buyers who fancy their chances of being the next René Metge or Jacky Ickx. Moreover, MPG has confirmed that Ruf’s engine work will be offered to 992 Turbo S owners who aren’t able to stretch to the luxury off-roader, but fancy the power upgrade regardless.
Despite the enormous output, Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH has repeatedly stressed that its new car is not all about power (although we're guessing it is a little bit about it). The firm has been working with KW Automotive to create a bespoke suspension setup capable of achieving its unique targets for a 992 spin-off, and last year we were told to expect a car that can go quickly “no matter where in the world, no matter what the terrain, no matter what the climate or road conditions”. The car’s development has been running for more than three years now under the codename 'Project Sandbox', with its launch planned for the spring.
Apparently the ten planned launch edition cars are already spoken for, leaving 30 additional allocated slots. If the production model lives up to its rally-grade supercar billing, no doubt they’ll also be taken up pretty quickly; Singer's Tuthill-built Safari 911 has already revealed the continuing appetite for such machines. Assuming all goes to plan, Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH wants to make more bespoke Porsche-based creations in the future. Expect the Ruf partnership to flourish if it does.
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