<h2>The Sound and Fury of a Supercar, With Styling That Only Whispers </h2>
<p class="byline">By: NICK KURCZEWSKI
<p class="dateposted">Date Posted 10-26-2005


It is amazing what empty Italian country roads and a 420-horsepower roadster can do to a person. Two hours earlier, and seemingly ages before my first behind-the-wheel encounter of the 2005 Studio Torino RK Spyder, I sat slumped in my airplane seat, head spinning and stomach churning from a bout of insomnia coupled to a red-eye flight into Turin, Italy. Feeling greener than Kermit the Frog on the Teacup ride, I met Alfredo Stola &mdash; founder of Studio Torino &mdash; at the airport. I flashed a sorry excuse for a smile, checked my watch and began counting the hours till bedtime.


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Wake-Up Call
Another empty two-lane highway, a jab of the gas pedal and every brain cell is focused upon the jolt of acceleration, the roar of the engine behind me and the Italian countryside flashing past. It is not the first time I feel dizzy that day, but it is the first time the feeling is not followed by a mad scramble for the air sickness bag.

The Studio Torino RK Spyder is based heavily on the Porsche Boxster, with subtly tweaked visuals and an awesome 420-horsepower supercharged Porsche flat-six mounted behind the driver and passenger, snug in the place the Boxster's 2.7- or 3.2-liter flat-sixes call home. This 3.8-liter engine comes from the new 911 and has been modified by the renowned Porsche tuning firm of Ruf, based in Pfaffenhausen, Germany.

The engine features a centrifugal compressor that delivers a maximum boost of 0.5 bar. A Ruf-designed intake manifold is coupled with modified injectors, less restrictive catalytic converters, and a reprogrammed electronic engine management system. The engine is slotted into the svelte Boxster body with such skill that it looks like it came from the factory. Not that you'll catch much of a glimpse of the engine. The highly caffeinated RK Spyder, like the regular-brew Boxster, has a fixed engine cover.

When handed the keys I'm in no mood to break out wrenches and screwdrivers. Instead, once on the road I click down a gear or two on the sweet shifting six-speed manual transmission, for no real reason other than to revel in spiking the rev needle round the tachometer to the horsepower peak of 7,000 rpm and to listen to that snarling technical wizardry at work.

A Curious Blend
The Stola name might sound familiar. This is because the engineering and design firm has, for decades, assisted major auto manufacturers in the creation of incredible show cars. Maybach's stunning Exelero coupe &mdash; the 2005 concept car that makes the already dull Maybach luxo-sedans look even drearier &mdash; was the final project Alfredo Stola had his hands on before selling the company begun by his grandfather 86 years ago.

Studio Torino was founded January 1, 2005, though Alfredo Stola points out that there is no factory, production line or design office. All the work is farmed out to what Stola humbly refers to as 'the best there is,' during a test-drive that included a visit to his beautiful home outside of Turin.

Over a much needed (on my part) espresso, Stola explains that his desire to build a made-to-order sports car led him to three key decisions. The first was to use the midengine Porsche Boxster &mdash; a car he considers to be dynamically excellent &mdash; as the base. This is not the first time a Boxster has received the Stola touch. The Stola S 82 convertible from 2001 and 2003 GTS coupe &mdash; in vintage Gulf Oil blue and orange livery &mdash; were show cars created to prove the engineering prowess of the company. Next on the list was the decision to use Ruf as an engineering partner. The German firm is renowned for building high-quality, brutally quick Porsches that are capable of outperforming most anything street-legal this side of a Formula One car. The last decision was to develop a new body for the Boxster using automotive artisans in and around Turin. We have no problem with handmade things &mdash; Faberge eggs and the dashboard on a Rolls-Royce are two fine examples we'd proudly mount above the mantle. However, the problem with the hand-hammered RK Spyder is that for a screaming supercar, it's still a bit too&hellip;well&hellip;Boxster, both inside and out.

Split Personalities
From a performance &mdash; and acoustic &mdash; standpoint, the supercharged RK Spyder is worth its 190,000 euros ($231,000) price tag. The problem is, as Albert Einstein once pointed out, there is no such thing as a perpetual motion machine. It is when stationary that the car's cost is harder to justify.

Walking around the glossy black roadster, Alfredo Stola points out that the left front fender is the only body panel that is stock Boxster. He goes into detail regarding the hand-finishing, the fine cutlines and the subtle reprofiling of taillights along with red swaths of paint, meant to evoke the paintjob of the 1954 Porsche 550 Spyder that won the grueling Carrera Panamericana road race.

The quality is definitely there, from seductive Toora 19-inch three-piece alloy wheels, billet-aluminum third brake light, muffler tips and fuel cap, and lowered windshield with cut-down side windows to match. At 43.9 inches tall, the car sits 6 inches lower than a standard Boxster, while the front and rear bumpers add 3 inches to the length, now at 173.8 inches. Did we forget to mention that there is no top? Yes, when it rains your options are either drive faster or master the art of steering, shifting and holding an umbrella.

Despite all the details, from 20 paces it would take an expert to identify the RK Spyder as anything but a very sinister-looking Boxster. Perhaps that's the point? Behind the wheel, gripped tightly by the deep red Poltrona Frau leather seats, the interior presents a similar story. Yes, it is roomy, the gauges are well positioned and the supple leather is specially made to resist heat buildup from the sun. The leather makes for a nice conversation over champagne at the country club, but everything short of the high-tech hide is there in the standard Boxster's cockpit. Never mind that the sub-$50-grand Boxster throws in a convertible top, too.

Just when I think I've got the RK Spyder figured out, the incredibly precise steering, crushingly effective Brembo four-piston-caliper brakes and Fulda Carat Exlero tires (235/35ZR-19 front/ 265/30ZR-19 rear) deliver a thrilling driving experience that begs for a track day before I reach 4th gear.

Public roads are simply no match for the car's potential. The RK Spyder tips the scales at 3,086 pounds, with the increase in horsepower equating to about 7.3 pounds per horsepower. For comparison, a Boxster S makes do with 10.5 pounds per hp, and a Ferrari F430 has roughly 6.6 pounds per pony. We can't vouch for the RK Spyder's claimed 178-mph top speed, though the estimated 0-to-60-mph time of 4.5 seconds seems, if anything, a tad conservative.

Those [49] Who Get It
According to Studio Torino, only 49 RK Spyders will be produced and, as is expected in this price range, items such as paint, leather and even engine spec are highly customizable. Normally aspirated, supercharged and turbocharged models will be available. As a purchase, the car ranks up there with a custom-tailored suit &mdash; that seats two. As a driving experience, the RK Spyder assaults your senses without biting your hand when speed limits or traffic jams get in the way. In-town cruising is not a problem, the car remains as docile as you like.

But as four-wheeled sculpture, the RK Spyder does not rank high on the pulse-quickening scale like a Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo or Bentley Continental GT. Then again, regular Ruf-engineered cars have always placed the emphasis on what is under the car's skin. Whether those subtle styling messages are transferable to a topless roadster is up to 49 thick-walleted car enthusiasts to decide. Add Americans in the mix, too, since a Ruf VIN means that the car is legal Stateside and the Ruf Auto Centre in Dallas, Texas, will gladly take your order. A coupe will likely follow once the Spyder sells out. Available at: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=107651#4

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<p class="headers">RUF RK Spyder
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<p class="main">The RUF RK Spyder is an open, hand crafted sports car, which will be produced in a limited number of 49 cars.
<p class="main">The body of the RK Spyder is manufactured by STUDIOTORINO in Turin, Italy. Except for the front left fender the complete body, including the bumpers, is a whole new design. The materials used for the custom body are steel sheets, aluminum and carbon fiber.
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<p class="main">Due to the lowering of the windshield frame the front and the two lateral windows are tailor made. The stability of the windshield frame remains. It provides, in combination with the two roll bars, the best safety in a rollover. A band in a different color at the back of the RK Spyder traces two distinct lines onto the rear fenders.
<p class="main">Three details of the car cannot go unnoticed: the fuel tank lid, the third brake light and the end pipes of the muffler. Milled from forged aluminum and hand finished, they have been manufactured following an exclusive design.
<p class="main">The five spoke wheels are another aesthetic singularity of the RUF RK Spyder. The extremely powerful BREMBO brake system has aluminum calipers and cast iron discs all round.
<p class="main">Special attention has been focused on the aesthetics of the interior. The lower part of the dashboard, the steering wheel, the door panels, and the center console have been hand upholstered with luxury leather by POLTRONA FRAU. The electrically reclining seats are made of carbon fiber and are hand upholstered using lavishly innovative leather. The leather used for the seats has been specially engineered for a topless sports car: it reflects sunrays and maintains a constant temperature even after having been exposed to the sun for long periods of time. A special name plate on the console carries the serial number of the car.
<p class="main">The RUF RK Spyder will be built at the RUF Automobile GmbH in Pfaffenhausen, Germany. This “Manufacturer of high performance cars” is well known for some of the world’s fastest sports cars. All RUF RK Spyders have the RUF VIN. RK stands for RUF KOMPRESSOR. Each RUF RK Spyder is build by hand. Beginning at the accurate passing of the wiring harness, fitting the interior, mounting the suspension and brakes and at the end of the production &ndash; the wedding the fixing of the engine and the gearbox with the body. Each engine is tested on the dyno. Before the customer receives the RUF RK Spyder, each car is test driven on public roads, where all the details are checked again. The result is a master piece &ndash; a high performance car 'Made in Pfaffenhausen'!
<p class="main">The basis of this kompressor engine is a centrifugal compressor with a planetary gearbox &ndash;a kind of mechanical turbo charger, which is driven mechanically by a Poly-Rip belt. The maximum boost is 0.5 bar. The engine has a RUF designed intake manifold, modified injectors, sports catalytic converters and a modified electronic engine management system. The water-cooled charge cooler has a cooling water circuit with an electric water pump from the water cooler in the front spoiler.
<p class="main">The supercharged 3.8 litre engine of the RUF RK Spyder provides a 420 bhp (309 kW) at 7,000 RPM and 450 Nm torque at 5,500 RPM. The acceleration from 0 &ndash; 100 km/h (0 &ndash; 62 mph) of the 3.8 litre RK Spyder with a RUF kompressor engine takes only 4.5 sec., from 0 &ndash; 200 km/h (0 &ndash; 125 mph) only 13.8 sec. The maximum speed is 285 km/h (178 mph).
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<div class="title">Renn Spyder</div>
RUF and Studio Torino bear one fierce Boxster
<div class="normals" style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px">By Sam Hill
Photography: By the Author</div>
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Like the dogs we are... RUF! RUF!


Here in cobblestoned Europe, the word RUF does things to performance-minded souls. Families are torn apart. Single women loved and left. Autumn leaves heaved rudely into the air by 177-mph German two-seaters in the hands of swarthy playboys. A shambles in their wake.


The Porsche transmogrifier from Pfaffenhausen has just burnt another hole in my Euro-trash jeans. Does a 414-bhp 'spyder' bodied 987 with a supercharged, 3.8-liter 997 engine mounted rear-midship get you hard, ladies and gentlemen? It do me, by crackee.



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Look at this magnificent sled. It's the RK Spyder from Studio Torino and RUF. That 414 bhp lunges from the 3.8-liter engine enhanced with a RUF compressor ('RK' stands for 'RUF Kompressor'). Only 49 will be built and they're available now. In Yankee dollars we're talking around $250,000, a far cry from the 987 Boxster S's MSRP of $53,100 and the 986 Boxster S 550 Special Edition at $62K. But then there are only 49 of them, RUF has executed a comprehensive and fail-safe 138-hp/96-lb-ft upgrade on the 987 chassis, and Studio Torino and Toora in Italy have redesigned and engineered every damned bit of the exterior and interior. The workmanship is on a level that would please Leonardo da Vinci, James Dean or Enzo Ferrari, were any of them still with us.


When the twin-lobe RUF supercharger is working at 100% capacity via the custom intake manifold, the sound from the Porsche 356-influenced rear cooling screen above the engine is like a Russian jet fighter passing overhead. I'm convinced that the 4.5 seconds to 62 mph (100 km/h) quoted by Alfredo Stola at Studio Torino and RUF is just a safe underestimate and that the true timing is more like 4.0 flat. Top speed is limited to 177 mph, and at that speed the RK Spyder is more stable than the Budweiser Clydesdales. The wind buffeting the open cockpit is suitably noisy but not violent.



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Alfredo Stola sold a large part of his legendary family engineering business in Turin to a group of shareholders in mid-2004 and retains around 15% of the company at this point. Soon after this 2004 divestment, he began Studio Torino to get back to creating highly crafted limited-run cars in the true Torinese tradition.


This showpiece RK Spyder is the first official product. Aside from the clear influence of the original Porsche 356 in the body just behind the cockpit, the painted fender accents in the rear and milled alloy gas cap peeking through the hood are directly from the 550 Spyder. Also in the 550 spirit, there are no external door handles and you need to reach inside to open. In front, the unique headlights help create a distinct Carrera GT look. As Alfredo Stola told me, 'Only the left front fender is shared with the Boxster S. Every other piece of the exterior needed to be completely redesigned and engineered in steel, aluminum or carbon fiber to fit our vision.'


And this truly is a vision. All of the new bodywork reminded me more of a roofless Cayman S than a modified Boxster S. Particularly in the redesigned front end, the RK Spyder seems a much more mature sports car than the Porsche on which it is based. Alfredo Stola is planning on creating a hardtop version for 2006 and it will be interesting to drive that against the planned Cayman RS edition.



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RUF has taken the 350-hp 3.8-liter flat six from the 997 Carrera S and added its own twin-unit, 0.5-bar (7.2 psi) supercharger on top. In addition, the intake manifolds themselves have been switched to RUF's specifications to provide more direct air feed. RUF also mounted new more rapid fuel injectors, racing catalytic converters and, of course, new engine-mapping software and circuitry. To keep the all-important air supply as cool as possible there's a high-volume watercooled intercooler fed by a compact pump mounted behind the gorgeous larger front spoiler.


Sitting in the RK Spyder is extremely comfortable. First, the effect of the spyder body, with the brilliant shaved side windows, elevated rear wall and lower and thicker windscreen frame, leaves you feeling fully embraced by the coachwork. Toora in Italy has created all of the body parts, as well as the two fully electronically adjustable carbon-fiber racing seats covered in orgasmic red leather from Italian furniture experts Poltrona Frau. The diamond-stitched padded leather covering the rear wall of the cockpit hearkens back to Ferraris of the late 1950s and early 1960s, and this helps a lot in deadening all noise reaching the driver's ears. Even the rear upper brake light body and side-view mirrors have undergone custom transformations here-nothing has been left alone. The amount of thought and care in the craftsmanship is incredible. Though the RK Spyder retains the 987 Boxster S's 95.1-inch wheelbase, both the front and rear tracks are now 60 inches wide rather than the standard 58.5-inch front and 60.2-inch rear. This has been done primarily to improve the overall stance of the car visually, but it also has the effect of making the RK Spyder completely unwavering during hot driving sessions on curve-a-plenty roads. This solidity from the 3,086-pound sports car on pavement (dry weight; 2,965 pounds on the Boxster S with six-speed manual) is further accentuated by the low-profile, 19-inch, Z-rated Fulda tires mounted to custom wheels produced by Toora. These five-spoke alloys are forged in three pieces and held together by titanium bolts for a very low rolling weight per wheel.



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The drive, in case you're incapable of assuming, is on a level with the best of today's super GTs and roadsters. Steering response from the slightly weighted front rack and wider front axle is immediate, and you get used to this go-kart-like reaction. Response from the accelerator pedal during throttle blips on downshifting was sometimes slow in this prototype, but RUF is on the case already and transitions will get faster. Listening to the engine's voice change at 4000 rpm and then again at 6000 rpm is a fun game to be played frequently. By the end of the day, I wanted to take the RK Spyder for a trans-alpine run into Switzerland or France-because I just didn't want to get out of it. Brakes and suspension have been tweaked to both stop the faster-moving added weight and make the ride more rigid, but they essentially carry over from the 997. Likewise for the transmission, which has already been designed by Porsche to take these levels of power and torque.


Congratulations to the new Studio Torino, RUF and Toora for bringing this new roaring baby Porsche to life. The RK Spyder will be sold through RUF; even though North American sale is still debatable you'd be smart to place your deposit now if this masterwork gives you the itch.



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Drivetrain


Longitudinal mid engine, rear-wheel drive


Engine


3.8-liter flat six, dohc, four valves per cylinder, supercharged and intercooled RUF twin-head supercharger w/ new-gen intercooler, RUF intake manifold, racing cats and software


Transmission Six-speed manual


Brakes Brembo GT assemblies


Wheels and Tires Toora custom alloys, 8.5x19 (f)
10x19 (r)
Fulda Extremo, 235/35-19 (f)
265/30-19 (r)



Exterior


Custom aluminum and carbon-fiber panels by Studio Torino


Performance


Peak Power: 414 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Peak Torque: 332 lb-ft
@ 5500 rpm
0-62 mph: 4.5 sec.
Top Speed: 177 mph




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<td class="font-cn"><span class="fonttitle">Find this article at:[/quote]
http://www.europeancarweb.com/featur...enn/index.html </td>
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Edited by - mpollard on 02/22/2006 7:01:13 PM