On Display at Salon Rétromobile
“The World’s Fastest Cars” Join Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island Auctions, Led by Time-Capsule RUF CTR Yellowbird, Pair of Manual AMG Hammers, Porsche 959, RUF CTR2, and Italian Supercars
The finest RUF CTR Yellowbird extant is announced for Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island sale, alongside two bespoke, manual-gearbox equipped AMG Hammers, a RUF CTR2 in Adriatic Blue, and ex-Brunei Royal Family Porsche 959.
Gooding Christie’s is proud to present a stupendous lineup consisting of the modern era’s most definitive, legendary, and influential supercars from RUF, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini for its Amelia Island Auctions this March. A pristine, time-capsule condition RUF CTR Yellowbird is among the headlining lots of the sale, coming to market as arguably the finest Yellowbird in existence and surely the most significant RUF to come to public auction. A pair comprising the only two known manual gearbox-equipped, 6.0-liter, pre-merger AMG Hammers, the sole Adriatic Blue RUF CTR2, and a Porsche 959 with royal provenance round out this knockout lineup. All of these offerings, along with the rest of Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island Auctions catalogue, will cross the block on Thursday, March 6 and Friday, March 7 at the Omni Amelia Island Resort.
Next week, from February 5 to 9, Gooding Christie’s will proudly display the Yellowbird at the upcoming Salon Rétromobile in Paris, taking place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Prospective buyers, interested clients, and media are invited to visit the booth to inspect this spectacular offering in person. Gooding Christie’s is located at stand no. 1 K 080; media and clients are strongly encouraged to schedule meetings in advance.
“Every enthusiast who grew up reading Road & Track will remember the famous ‘World’s Fastest Car’ test and the fold-out cover featuring the 211 mph RUF Yellowbird being chased by the latest supercars from Porsche, Ferrari, AMG, and Lamborghini,” says David Brynan, Gooding Christie’s Senior Specialist. “Supercars from the 1980s and 90s have been rediscovered by a new generation of collectors and are among the most sought-after classics in today’s market. It is exciting to offer a selection of these rare and iconic models at Amelia Island, which stand out for their exceptional quality, documentation, and high standard of presentation.”
“The CTR Yellowbird was a significant turning point for RUF and for modern performance cars in general, and it remains a testament to the very essence of our brand: an unrelenting commitment to engineering excellence, innovative technical design, and the highest possible standard of automotive performance. The cultural impact of the Yellowbird could not be overstated, and we are so proud of its lasting influence that struck in awe an entire generation of enthusiasts and reinvented the benchmark for a modern performance supercar,” says Alois and Estonia Ruf of RUF Automobile GmbH. “We are incredibly excited to see this exceptional example come to auction, sure to set a new milestone for RUF as one of our most significant cars to come out of Pfaffenhausen. The presentation of this Yellowbird at Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island Auctions signals a new chapter for the ever-growing appreciation of these air-cooled classics in the global marketplace. With its remarkably low mileage, originality, and provenance consisting of just two private owners from new, this Leichtbau Yellowbird is a prime example of our definitive model. We look forward to welcoming its next fortunate owner into the RUF family.”
1989 RUF CTR ‘Yellowbird’ (Estimate: In Excess of $6,000,000)
In 1987, RUF unveiled the radical new CTR, its vision of the ultimate 911-based performance car, engineered as an unrelenting automotive machine. RUF based its CTR on the standard, narrow-bodied 911 Carrera 3.2 to keep weight and aerodynamic drag to a minimum. The CTR was powered by a 3.4-liter air-cooled flat six engine, featuring twin turbochargers, twin intercoolers, and an early version of Bosch Motronic fuel injection. Its powerful output was conservatively rated at 463 bhp at 5,960 rpm. RUF was put on the map in 1987 when its CTR was crowned the winner of Road & Track’s famed “World’s Fastest Cars” event, where it absolutely smoked the competition with a top speed of 211 mph. During this session, the CTR was nicknamed the “Yellowbird,” and the moniker has stuck ever since. In the nearly 40 years since its introduction, the Yellowbird’s lasting influence and legacy has only grown. This groundbreaking RUF model has been featured in virtually every motor magazine and countless books, articles, films, and video games – however, with only 29 produced in total, it is quite a rare occurrence to see one of these original Yellowbirds out and about. Recognized the world over as the pinnacle of automotive excellence, the Yellowbird is one of the most iconic performance cars of the modern era, and among the most publicized automobiles in recent memory.
The CTR offered here, chassis 026, is arguably the finest extant, presented in pristine original condition and showing less than 1,700 km from new. The 26th CTR built at RUF’s workshop in Pfaffenhausen, it is one of just nine Yellowbirds originally finished in the model’s definitive Blutengelb, or Blossom Yellow, livery. It was also specified in the most desirable Leichtbau (Lightweight) configuration, and equipped with an integrated Matter aluminum roll cage, Recaro lightweight “clubsport” seats, and optioned with RUF’s proprietary six-speed manual gearbox.
Upon completion, 026 was delivered to its first owner, and remained in a private collection based in Germany. Over the next 30 years, 026 was kept in a climate-controlled facility, driven only sparingly. In 2020, the CTR was sold to the current American owner, a gentleman whose ethos as a collector can be succinctly summarized as “the best of the best.” Since his acquisition of the car, the CTR has not been driven nor publicly exhibited, instead being meticulously cared for on a regular maintenance schedule. In all respects, this Yellowbird is a benchmark setting, time-capsule example retaining its factory-applied paint and interior finishes, identification plates, and serial-numbered components. It comes offered with important accessories and spares, as well as its RUF Zertifikat, copy of original invoice, books, and tools. As the lowest mileage CTR known to exist, Yellowbird chassis 026 stands as a textbook example of the ultimate late 1980s tuner sports car, in virtually as-new condition.
