History, they say, repeats itself. This is certainly true in the case of the collaboration between Marc Philipp Gemballa and RUF Automobile for the engine development of the new Porsche 959-inspired supercar that mirrors the work done in the 1980s by Uwe Gemballa and Alois Ruf.
The RUF engine upgrade – today just as back then under the name ‘Powered by RUF’ – enables the six-cylinder boxer engine (based on the 992 Turbo S series) to deliver 559 kW and 930 Nm of torque
The limited launch edition series of the first 10 vehicles of the off-road capable supercar (based on the all-new 992 Turbo S) have already been sold before the offcial market launch in Spring 2021
The engine development of the off-road capable sportscar designed by Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH (not associated in any form with Gemballa GmbH) is being carried out by the since 1981 registered vehicle manufacturer RUF Automobile GmbH – now, just as back then, under the name ‘Powered by RUF’.
“We enjoy working with my father’s trusted business partners. Many of them rank among today’s leading suppliers in the automotive industry, and in addition to their decades of experience, they know the standards we strive for and perfectly understand what matters. My father trusted the technical expertise as well as the high-quality standards and the well-proven working methods of Alois Ruf. Consequently, the choice to partner with RUF Automobile for the engine development was a natural decision for us. I am pleased that we can continue this very special friendship and partnership”, says Marc Philipp Gemballa.
Just as RUF had developed the powertrains of several legendary models from Uwe Gemballa in the 1980s, the Pfaffenhausen-based manufacturer is now also taking over the engine development of Marc Philipp’s new model. Alois Ruf, Managing Director of RUF Automobile GmbH, is pleased that this success story is being revived with the project by Marc Philipp Gemballa, and remembers: “With the vehicles of Uwe Gemballa, I associate the courageous, radical, and uncompromising expression of driving pleasure. I look forward to working with his son Marc Philipp”.
The collaboration kicks off with the young entrepreneur’s first project – an off-road supercar inspired by the legendary Porsche 959 ‘Paris-Dakar’, currently still camouflaged under the name ‘Project Sandbox’ – which is based on the all-new Porsche 911 Turbo S from the 992 series.
“Despite the enormous power reserves, the engine complies with the latest EURO 6 emissions regulations and has been subject to the strictest WLTP and RDE tests,” explains Moritz Renner, technical director of Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH (MPG).
