RUF's Transformative B8 Engine
RUF Unveils 1,000-HP Boxer-8 Engine at Goodwood, Signaling Evolution into Full Manufacturer
Key Points
Ruf has long been recognized as more than a tuner and is now operating as a genuine manufacturer, with German authorities acknowledging Ruf as a distinct manufacturer since the BTR in 1983 and later noting its CTR3 debut in 2007; the company has also moved toward all‑carbon monocoque chassis for models like the SCR and Rodeo, signaling a broadening of its engineering and manufacturing scope.
The B8 engine is internally nicknamed Erprober (Tester) and is being shown in public atop a lengthened CTR3 mule, marking its first public demonstration and a key step toward integrating the engine into a future Ruf product.
The B8 mule uses a CTR3 chassis based on a 987 Porsche Cayman with Multimatic underpinnings, and Ruf lengthened the body by about 100 mm (roughly 3.9 inches) to accommodate the new engine, illustrating the testbed nature of the setup.
The engine is described as twin‑turbocharged and 4.8 liters, producing over 1,000 horsepower and about 737 lb-ft of torque, underscoring a serious claim of performance for a boxer-eight configuration.
Alois Ruf characterizes the Boxer 8 as a defining moment in the company’s history and highlights a “hidden in plain sight” testing approach for Goodwood, suggesting the project is both a bold statement and a carefully managed reveal of Ruf’s next-gen direction.
RUF has unveiled a brand-new flat-eight engine at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the numbers are staggering. The B8 — short for Boxer 8 — is a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter engine that makes over 1,000 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque, according to autoevolution and The Drive.
To show off the engine, RUF built a stretched version of its CTR3 as a mule — a test car nicknamed the Erprober, which means "Tester" in German. Racing driver Tanner Foust is piloting it up Goodwood's famous hill climb, giving crowds a live taste of what RUF is calling a defining moment in the company's history, per PistonHeads.
RUF Stretches a Classic to Fit Its Monster Engine
The B8 engine is too big to drop into a standard CTR3. So RUF lengthened the CTR3 chassis by about 100 mm — roughly 3.9 inches — to make room. The CTR3 mule is built on a 987 Porsche Cayman platform with Multimatic suspension underpinnings. A six-speed manual transmission sends power to the wheels, according to Ars Technica.
The lower engine placement made possible by the stretched body helps keep the car balanced. RUF calls this a testbed setup — a rolling lab used to develop the B8 before it goes into a real production car. No final production model has been announced yet, but the engineering intent is clear, per The Drive.
From Porsche Tuner to True Car Manufacturer
RUF is not just a tuner anymore. German authorities recognized RUF as a distinct manufacturer all the way back in 1983, after the company built the BTR. Since then, RUF has pushed further into full manufacturing, building all-carbon monocoque chassis for models like the SCR and Rodeo, according to Ars Technica.
The B8 is the biggest step yet. For years, RUF relied on flat-six engines closely tied to Porsche's lineup. The new Boxer 8 is a completely clean-sheet design — engineered and built entirely in-house. The Drive reported that the switch from a flat-six to a flat-eight marks a major expansion in what RUF can build on its own.
Alois Ruf Calls the B8 a Pivotal Moment
RUF founder Alois Ruf described the Boxer 8 as a defining moment in the company's history. He highlighted what he called a "hidden in plain sight" approach to the Goodwood reveal — quietly showing up to one of motorsport's biggest events with a 1,000-horsepower secret in tow. PistonHeads reported that the B8 is mid-mounted, sitting just behind the driver.
Tanner Foust — a two-time World Rallycross champion — is making multiple runs up the hill climb in the Erprober mule. His involvement adds serious motorsport credibility to the reveal. RUF says the B8 is not a one-off concept. It is the engine that will power the company's next generation of cars, per autoevolution.
What a 1,000-HP Flat-Eight Actually Means
A flat-eight — also called a boxer-eight — is an extremely rare engine layout. It places eight cylinders in two flat rows of four, facing outward. Porsche used a version of this layout in its 917 race car in the early 1970s. Bringing it back in a road-car context is a bold move, AutoSpies noted.
At 1,000-plus horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque, the B8 puts RUF in the same performance territory as hypercars costing millions of dollars. And unlike many rivals, RUF built every bit of this engine themselves. For a small German company from Pfaffenhausen, that is a remarkable engineering achievement, according to Ars Technica.
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