RUF continues its longstanding tradition of taking modern technology, wrapping it in classic Porsche styling, and modifying it to provide an old-school driving experience. One of RUF’s two reveals at The Quail—one of Monterey Car Week’s most opulent events—was the ultra-lightweight Bergmeister roadster, a car so lightweight and stripped out it makes the 911 GT3 seem bloated.
The Bergmeister was inspired by ’60s Porsche hillclimb cars, such as the Porsche 906, the 909 “Bergspyder,” and 718 RS 60 Spyder, and that doesn’t just seem like marketing, either. You can see bits of all of those cars in the Bergmeister’s design. The Bergmeister’s body was also penned by Tony Hatter, the designer of the 993-generation 911, Porsche’s last air-cooled car. Unlike the aforementioned ’60s Porsches, and Hatter’s 993, the RUF Bergmeister’s body is made entirely from carbon fiber.
Continuing that lightweight theme is the cabin, almost entirely of which is skinned in Alcantara. The dashboard, steering wheel, seat bolsters, shift knob, door cards, and center console are all trimmed in the lightweight fuzzy stuff. That might make it lightweight but, as The Drive has already discussed, Alcantara interiors can become problematic over time. Although, the bucket seats feature lovely tartan inserts, which shouldn’t get too sweaty.
Stuffed in the rear of the Bergmeister is a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter flat-six engine, making 450 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. It only gets a six-speed manual transmission and power goes to the rear. Alongside the Bergmeister, RUF also debuted its new SCR for the first time in North America. The SCR uses Porsche’s incredible naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six from the GT3. It’s a shame that the roofless Bergmeister doesn’t get the GT3’s 9,000 rpm screamer. Can you imagine that noise in a carbon-bodied roadster?
“When we began building our own automobiles in 1974 it was all for the thrill of the drive,” said RUF owner Alois Ruf. “We are honored to be featured at The Quail and to celebrate the passion for driving with our friends. Bergmeister embodies the most elemental driving experience, while the SCR highlights the latest technology offerings from our team in Pfaffenhausen.”
RUF didn’t say exactly how light the Bergmeister is but it features a carbon body, an entirely Alcantara interior, and RUF even left off the rear bumper. So it’s going to be super light. And it’s hard to not love an ultra-light, carbon fiber roadster with 450 horsepower, and a manual transmission. I also like the “Caution Hot” signs flanking either side of the exposed exhaust because what good is a sports car without the danger of a little bodily harm?
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