Ruf Rodeo restomod goes from concept to production

The famous Porsche 911 specialist in Germany has unveiled the final version of its Safari-inspired Rodeo restomod.

The original concept debuted around four years ago (see video). It was heavily influenced by the Safari with auxiliary lighting on the roof, reinforced bumpers and other off-road upgrades. The variant seen here does without these options, but it retains the original’s roof rails, 245 mm (9.6 inches) of ground clearance and 18-inch wheels shod in all-terrain tires.

The car body is made from carbon-fiber panels with lots of air vents all around. Bold fenders make it look somewhat disproportionately small, and a tiny ducktail spoiler only serves to emphasize the effect. This may be intentional, though, because the whole car weighs as little as 1,250 kg (2,755 lbs) – partly thanks to a carbon monocoque in its underlying structure.

A 3.6-liter flat-six supplies 618 PS (610 hp / 455 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. A six-speed manual transmission carries the torque to both axles. The suspension is double-wishbone at both ends, and while the rear brakes are four-piston, the front ones employ six pistons for maximum efficiency.

The trim is surprisingly nice for a rally machine, with Ruf mentioning power windows, power locks all around, an AC and leather upholstery. Infotainment is the one thing lacking, but imagine missing that in a Safari build.

We should learn the pricing and availability details soon, so stay tuned.