In today's retro review we take a deep dive into one of the most historic automotive videos ever filmed, the famous "Faszination on the Nürburgring". This video was as viral as things could get in 1989. It features RUF test driver Stefan Roser using the CTR "Yellowbird" to set the bar for what a good automotive film looks like down to this very day.
The story of this video, the car and company involved, and the impact that it's had on the industry ever since is one that's worth a look. We have it to thank for so much of the automotive content that we take in today.
The RUF CTR Is A Monster Of A Car
When we watch videos of cars at the Nurburgring today they all have one thing in common no matter what car is being featured and no matter how fast they're all going: very little sliding. Modern cars seem sucked to the road surface almost as if they're slot cars with a small child at the helm and their finger full depressed on the trigger.
This film shows the exact opposite. Over the course of 18+ minutes, we see a helmetless Stefan Rosen slinging the CTR around one of the most famous racetracks in history with what seems to be reckless abandon. Watch closely as he seems to be sawing away at the wheel throughout the entire video. That kind of drifting wasn't easy or as fast as just smoothly taking the car through each turn.
There is a couple of good reasons for the way this car handles this course though. The first is that the RUF CTR was deemed the "Fastest Production Car In The World" by Road & Track in 1987. To gain that fanfare it blitzed to 60mph in just 4 seconds and then on to 100 in just 7.3 seconds. When many cars were considered fast by using engines with 300 or even 400 horsepower, the RUF CTR was powered by a twin-turbo 500 horsepower flat-six engine.
Top speed was 211 mph in 1987. No Ferrari, no Lamborghini, no Porsche, or any other production car could come within 10 mph of the RUF CTR. That power was unheard of and it made piloting the car around an incredibly complex course like the Nurburgring just that much more difficult, especially without the advancements in aerodynamics that have been made today. Nevertheless, it's not as though Roser wasn't capable of driving a smooth and fast lap. In fact, the second reason for his tail-happy driving was that it was a requirement to achieve the goals of the film.
Setting The Bar For Dramatic Automotive Filmmaking
This video though was all about marketing. RUF (Pronounced Roof) was a company trying to expand its brand footprint and gain a larger footprint in the automotive scene. To that end, they spent the time and money to go and shoot this promotional video that they named Faszination on the Nürburgring.
The production included the rental of a helicopter to ensure that the shots they got were of the car in real action. Still, the most interesting parts of the film are those where we're in the cabin with Rosen as he's drifting the car at wild speeds. They remind us of the films we all watch today.
When was the last time Chris Harris shot a video that had no shots at all of him drifting whatever car it is that he's driving? How about Jeremy Clarkson or Matt Farah? These presenters all clearly understand the connection between dramatic driving and attention. We have an entire series of Ken Block and his Gymkhana videos that have been so popular and well-received that he's passed the keys to Travis Pastrana at this stage.
All of those videos can trace their lineage back to this very video that started the trend. It's so historic that Car & Driver called the video "Groundbreaking" and TopGear called it the "Best and most exciting lap for watching". That kind of praise is clearly well deserved but you may still be wondering how things worked out for RUF.
RUF Built The Business On The Success Of This Film
Today RUF stands out as one of the most long-lasting and passionate motorcar manufacturers ever. Despite an ever-changing market landscape they've managed to continually make one advancement after another. This film was instrumental in garnering the type of hype and interest in the brand that got it more attention and relevance than it ever had previously.
Since 1989 RUF has continued building the most extreme cars it possible can. Take a close look at the vehicle above. It's the RUF CTR3 Clubsport, the third generation of the CTR. It's moved the motor forward slightly in the chassis to produce the best handling possible. It's now powered by a 766 horsepower flat-six and can achieve 60 mph in just 3 seconds and run on to a top speed of 236 mph. It's a completely unique creation to RUF alone. While this small company doesn't get the attention of brands like Lamborghini, Ferrari, or Koenigsegg, it's certainly capable of going toe to toe with them anywhere on the planet.