Alois Ruf Jr., the head of Ruf Automobile, a German performance marque, has a deep and personal connection to his first Porsche, a 901 that he received as a gift when he was just 19 years old. However, his association with the car may date back even further.
It all began in 1939 when Alois Ruf Sr. founded Ruf Automobile as a small garage in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, near Munich. Little did he know that this would mark the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Porsche.
The bond between Ruf and Porsche truly formed in 1963 when the Ruf garage repaired a damaged 356. Later that year, Ruf Jr. caught a glimpse of a blue 901 on a rain-soaked autobahn near Günzburg, a town located between Munich and Stuttgart. This momentary encounter left a lasting impression on him.
At the time, the 901 had just been introduced as the successor to the 356, a car that the Ruf garage had already specialized in. However, due to a trademark dispute with Peugeot, the model was eventually renamed the 911, setting the stage for Porsche’s iconic sports car.
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In 1969, as a 19th birthday present, Alois Ruf Sr. gave his son one of the earlier 901 models. Although the original flat-6 engine had been replaced by the flat-4 from a Porsche 912, Ruf Jr. cherished and drove the 901 for many years. Throughout this time, he continued working on growing his family’s company, eventually transforming it into a performance powerhouse that included its own line of supercars.
When the time for restoration finally arrived in 2019, meticulous research revealed that Ruf’s car was the sixth 901 ever built. Initially believed to be lost, this unique 901 was the first to feature five round instruments and was originally painted in Enamel Blue at the factory. Given the limited number of 901s in circulation at the time, there is a strong possibility that this car was the very one that Ruf Jr. spotted speeding down the autobahn back in 1964.
Chassis number 13326, the car in question, was manufactured in September 1963. It made its public debut at the Earls Court auto show in London on October 16 of that year and later appeared at the 1964 Geneva auto show the following March.
After its show appearances, the car was handed over to Porsche’s development department. They installed a functioning engine and thoroughly tested the vehicle at Germany’s Hockenheimring. Subsequently, the blue 901 served as a company car for Ferdinand Piëch, the future boss of Volkswagen Group, before being sold to the renowned Porsche engine designer, Hans Mezger. Eventually, the car fell into the hands of a businessman who sold it to Ruf Sr. after it was damaged in an on-track incident.
With the complete history of the car finally uncovered, it was meticulously restored to its original appearance at the Geneva show. Although it now features a working engine donated by a vocational college, the resurrected Quick Blue serves as a charming reminder of Ruf Automobile’s humble beginnings.
As Ruf Automobile continues to expand, with the recent establishment of a shop in the United States, the Quick Blue stands as a testament to the company’s origins and the enduring passion for automotive excellence that drives the Ruf family. Alois Ruf Jr.’s first Porsche not only symbolizes his personal connection to the brand but also represents the legacy of craftsmanship and innovation that defines Ruf Automobile.
