Anyone familiar with the Porsche 911 has probably seen a RUF-modified version, even if they didn't know what they were looking at. For those in the know, however, RUF's various takes on the 911 have been impressive works of modification--from the all-electric eRUF Greenster to the 685-horsepower RT12. The latest in the line, the RGT-8, made its debut this week at the Geneva Motor Show, and it sports V-8 power.

Heresy, you say? It may well be--dumping the famous flat six for a right-angle mill takes some guts, but the V-8 that replaces it definitely has some prodigious figures. The 4.5-liter unit turns out 550 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 370 pound-feet of torque at 5,400 rpm. And the new V-8 is designed in-house by RUF.

Hemispherical four-valve cylinders, a 180-degree "Flatcrank," dry-sump lubrication and a total weight of under 440 pounds make for a compact, race-oriented engine. Paired to a short-throw six-speed gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels, the RGT-8 is no longer pure Porsche, but it should still satisfy even the most demanding of performance purists.

Ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, 19-inch RUF alloy wheels, custom bodywork, an integrated roll-cage, and an available Frere package inspired by the 550 Coupe raced by Belgian Paul Frere, round out the RGT-8's features. Hit up the second page for the full spec sheet.

[RUF]

Body:
2 seated coupé with integrated roll-cage
2 racing type bucket seats
Aluminium doors and front hood
Carbon fibre engine cover and rear spoiler

Engine:
Lightweight-8-Cylinder-90°-engine with racing DNA
180° crankshaft "Flatcrank"
4,5 Liter displacement
Power output 404 kW (550 bhp) @ 8500rpm
Maximum torque 500 Nm @ 5400rpm
Aluminium crankcase and cylinder heads
Water cooled, cylinderheads and engineblock cross flowed
4-valve system with spherical layout
4 camshafts with hydraulically timed valve system for in- and outlet
Hydraulic valve tappets
Dry sump oil lubrication with two windage trays for each of the 4 chambers
Individual chamber oil suction with 2 suction intakes
Waterpump, generator and AC compressor are directly driven of the Engine (no belts), located at the lowest position
Sequential fuel injection system
Individual cylinder ignition coils
Electronic engine management system
Electronic throttle control system per bank with 2 butterflies
3-Way catalytic converters with stereo closed loop lambda control
On-Board-Diagnosis for continuous monitoring of the exhaust system

Transmission:
Rear wheel drive with 6 speed manual gearbox

Chassis:
Electronic stability control system, ABS, traction control,
automatic limited-slip differential

RUF high performance brakes with ceramic discs,
perforated and air cooled
Front brake disc diameter 380 mm
Rear brake disc diameter 350 mm

Forged RUF alloy wheels with single central retaining nut
Front : 9Jx19 with 245/35 ZR 19
Rear : 12Jx19 with 325/30 ZR 19
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires
All specifications are subject to variation, as specified for the prototype RUF RGT-8