The previous 991 generation of the Porsche 911 meant a great deal for the Targa, bringing the iconic coupe-and-cabriolet derivative back to its Targa bar design while adding an impressive roof mechanism that’s been passed on to the current 992 Targa. However, unlike in the days of old, Porsche only makes the Targa in all-wheel-drive form. And those who sought an RWD Targa could turn to famed German producer Ruf’s Turbo Florio, which has now returned for the 992 iteration.
Ruf, whose cars have their own VINs and therefore are regarded as production models rather than modified Porsches, released a few images of the new Turbo Florio on Instagram.
The company also showcased the lady who owns the first example of the second-gen model, while one of the shots presumably shows the team who worked on the vehicle.
The black elements surrounding the Targa’s nose-mounted air intakes certainly speak of added power, while the bugs splashed across the number plate make us think of top speed Autobahn runs. And while the details of the 992 Turbo Florio haven’t been released yet, we can speculate based on the first-gen model released back in 2015.
What type of company is Ruf and why doesn’t Porsche build a RWD Targa these days?
For the record, Ruf is best known for its CTR Yellowbird of the late 1980s. Back then, this machine could do 213 mph and, thanks to an 8:05 lap time, held an unofficial Nurburgring record for many years, outgunning supercars of the era in both respects. And its recipe, which also involved reliability on top of stellar performance, was simple: instead of rolling with Porsche’s 911 Turbo, the German specialist brewed its own twin-turbo monster using a 911 Carrera 3.2 (things are starting to sound a bit familiar here).
As for why recent Porsche 911 Targas only come in AWD form, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling every generation since the 997 introduced back in 2007 and noticed a big change when its 991 successor rolled in (here’s a brief history of the Targa). You see, the mechanical marvel that is the said roof mechanism makes the Targa the heaviest of 911 derivatives. And the extra mass only adds to the Neunelfer’s rear-biased weight distribution.
So Zuffenhausen decided to turn this model into a lifestyle one, leaving the more hardcore stuff for other corners of the range, of which there are plenty. As such, the German carmaker considers there’s no need for the steering purity and the extra tail-out possibilities offered by RWD.
Expect optional RWD to return and at least 100 extra horses
However, certain drivers beg to differ and, as mentioned above, Ruf started catering to their needs seven years ago. Back then, the 911 was in the final days of its 991.1 iteration, which saw Carreras using naturally aspirated engines. So, as the name of the vehicle implies, this used a pair of turbos that bumper power to 636 hp (640 PS), some 80 horses above what the most potent factory model of the time, the Turbo S, had to offer. And yes, customers could choose between AWD and RWD.
The 991.2 mid-cycle revamp of the previous 911 saw the Carrera and Carrera S moving from the said N/A flat-sixes to turbocharged 3.0L units, which were naturally updated for the current 992.1 models, with the Targa also using these engines.
In its most potent GTS version, the 992 Porsche 911 Targa extracts 480 hp out of that 3.0L boxer and Ruf has already introduced a custom twin-turbo package that takes the output to 580 hp, so we’re expecting at least that level of output for the 992 Turbo Florio.
And we couldn’t see why the RWD option, which is arguably the most standout feature of the Ruf, would get lost in the generation change.
PS: Ruf should release the details of the 992 Turbo Florio shortly. Meanwhile, you can enjoy a 1987 Nurbugring Yellowbird lap (not the record one) where company test driver Stefan Roser tackles traffic and gets the tail out like it’s nothing in the Option Auto video below.
