3.9-liter Sharkwerks-modified 2007 RUF RGT on Bring a Trailer article highlights:

• The RUF RGT has the chassis of a 997 Porsche 911, the heart of a GT3, a custom carbon-fiber-composite body, and many suspension and interior upgrades
• The 2007 RUF RGT currently listed on Bring a Trailer has even more enhancements, including an enlarged 3.9-liter engine courtesy of Sharkwerks
• This is a rare opportunity to get your hands on a RUF car, and at its current $140,000 asking price, it’s cheaper than many 997 GT3s

GTS, GT3, Turbo, or Carrera: no matter the trim, the Porsche 911 is a special sports car. But some 911s are even more special than usual, and I don’t just mean rare limited-edition models. A handful of shops can take ‘ordinary’ 911s and make them extraordinary. And this week, one of these Porsches has popped up on Bring a Trailer: a 3.9-liter 2007 RUF RGT.

The RUF RGT isn’t the same as a normal 997 Porsche 911—it’s so much more

Tuning a Porsche 911 is a tricky task, but there’s no shortage of places that can boost its engine or lighten its load. However, Ruf Automobiles, often stylized as ‘RUF,’ isn’t really a tuner.

Much like Alpina was until recently, RUF is a recognized independent automaker. Although it receives bodies-in-white directly from Porsche, its cars have RUF VINs, not Porsche ones. And as is the case with Singer’s builds, you won’t find a Porsche badge or nameplate on a RUF car. All this is to say the RUF RGT is no ‘mere’ Porsche 911.

Introduced in 2004 alongside the ‘actual’ 997 Porsche 911, the RUF RGT has a bespoke body. This body features Kevlar doors, fiberglass fender flares, as well as a carbon-fiber ducktail spoiler, wing, rear decklid, and mirrors. In addition, the custom polyurethane air dam has multiple air intakes and accommodations for the vented hood. Some of those intakes send cooling air to the slotted Brembo disc brakes. The others, meanwhile, feed into the engine radiators. And oh, what an engine the RUF RGT has!

Initially, the RUF RGT used the 996 GT3’s Mezger flat-six, albeit with several modifications. RUF installed a higher-flow air filter, custom ECU, performance catalytic converters, and one of its in-house designed exhausts. And after modifying the combustion chambers, the 2004 RGT made 385 bhp, fed to the rear wheels via a strengthened six-speed manual. But RUF wasn’t done.

In 2006, RUF launched the second-gen RGT, which again used a GT3 engine. However, not only was this engine from the 997 Porsche 911 GT3, but it also featured even more extensive mods. RUF bored the 3.6-liter out to 3.8 liters and installed a dry-sump lubrication system with a separate oil tank. It then bumped up the compression ratio and added titanium connecting rods and a custom ECU. The result was 445 bhp, 30 more than the GT3.

And the 2007 RGT currently listed on Bring a Trailer is still more extreme.

This Sharkwerks-modified 2007 RGT is your chance to own one of these rare birds

At first glance, this 2007 RUF RGT looks like…well, there’s no such thing as an ‘ordinary’ RUF, but you get what I mean.

Underneath the carbon-fiber-and-composite body, you’ll find RUF-tuned Bilstein shocks, slotted Brembo brakes, and BBS CH-R center-lock wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Furthermore, inside are Recaro leather sports seats with Schroth Racing harnesses, aluminum RUF pedals, and an Alcantara-wrapped headliner and integrated roll cage. And because the RGT is still a road car, it has A/C, a Bose audio system, and RUF-branded sill guards and floor mats. Plus, all the standard Porsche safety features from ABS to stability control still work.

However, this car goes a few steps further. Firstly, renowned California-based Porsche tuner Sharkwerks expanded the flat-six out to 3.9 liters. The rebuilding process also added Sharkwerk pistons, liners, wrist pins, and piston rings, as well as a balanced crankshaft and EVO 10mm head studs. In addition, this RUF RGT has several 997 GT3 RS 4.0 parts: flywheel, throw-out bearing, guide tube, pressure plate, and ring gear. Plus, this car features a GT3 RS pulley set as well as Sharkwerks adjustable front and rear lower control arms, toe-steer kit, and rear-link kit.

But wait, there’s more. On top of the other engine work, Sharkwerks also replaced the rear main seal, gaskets, lifters, and bearings. It also pinned the coolant lines, which is a common—and necessary—modification on Mezger-engine 997s. And the owner just changed the oil.

This 2007 RUF RGT currently has just under 16,000 miles on its clock, as well as a clean history. It’s also in excellent shape, apart from a few scattered stone chips. It has protective clear film on its front bumper, hood, and fenders, too. And it comes with plenty of service records as well as the original RUF build sheet.

How much does a RUF RGT cost compared to a regular Porsche 997?

As of this writing, this 2007 RUF RGT is listed at $140,000 with four days left in the auction. Since the build sheet doesn’t include a price, it’s difficult to tell if it’s depreciated at all over the last 15 years. However, Road & Track estimated a ‘base’ example cost around $258,000 in 2007. That’s about $363,700 in 2022 dollars.

Interestingly, at its current price, this RGT is arguably cheaper than the average 997 Porsche 911 GT3. Non-RS cars typically go for about $150K on BaT these days, while RS models are well over $200K. So, in a way, this RUF is actually a bargain 997 Porsche GT3. Not to mention an even more special one.

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