I still remember being so confused as a kid playing Gran Turismo. Porsche wasn't in the game but RUF was. It's nice to hear about the full history and see just how much different they are. As always great episode Jay.
He even got the founder of RUF to get on his show!! This is why I love this channel, as if the Yellowbird wasn’t enough! Thank you Jay Leno and your whole crew for making this possible.
This is Alois Ruf, Jr. The company was founded by his father, Alois Ruf Sr. Had you been watching the video and paying attention, you would have realized that Alois Ruf, Sr. died in 1974. Alois Ruf succeeded his father as head of the company at that time. Ruf was founded in 1939, predating Ruf Jr.'s birth by eleven years.
Amazing episode. Mr. Ruf is worth listening to all day. What an interesting and humble person, huge respect. I just wish Jay would not interrupt him as much and would talk a little more about how the car drives too.
"...and this feels like a brand new car" "Ya, that's the way it should be. It's only 30 years." In the 90's I worked at a shop that sold & serviced all sorts of exotics - old & new. Only the Porsche guys DROVE their cars. The English and Italian car owners avoided driving their cars. It was a real eye opener. The German cars are built with the expectation that they will be driven every day and see heavy service. The Italian cars are built according to entirely different philosophy of use. The designers and engineers assume that their customers own many, many other cars and so their cars will see limited service and lead a pampered existence. So they build them accordingly. The English car owners longed to drive their cars as though they were German cars, but most came to realize that they were more like the Italian cars.
Very interesting insight. Fast forward to 2019. I would much prefer to own an ~1975 - 1990 BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz versus the newer vehicles they're producing now. (I don't need an iPhone-on-wheels).
There’s a special feeling when the founder himself is present, explaining his cars to people in such enthusiastic, historical manner. Made even more special when you grew up driving and loving the RUF in Gran Turismo, and seeing him in the flesh and remember that this is the man behind the cars you love so much. Thank you, Alois Ruf Jr. At 21:07 even the blow-off valve sounds like bird chirps lol. Truly a “Yellowbird”
@Nich Hodge and there is nothing special about taking over somebody else's car and making it faster. Its exactly what the Porsche family did from the very beginning by putting a lightweight aluminium body on a VW bug. All Mr Ruf did was also put an aluminium body on a porsche before he started tinkering heir engines. History repeats itsself. Porsche family did it to VW's, Ruf do it to Porsches.
@@redram5150 Matt Farah has stated that the 911s of the 80s/90s and the r32 skyline of the era feel like spaceships compared other sports cars if the era due to build quality.... And has stated that by today 30+ years they feel solid and tight........
Na, he says that because that ole moneybag is about 100 years old and 30 years is practical yesterday for him. A hooray for modern medicine, so old millionaires can become even older millionaires. That's how it works, guys. In a few years 80% of the worlds money will be owned by a bunch of high-tech coffins. Mark my words...
I wasn't very interested, but her 45 second exchange with Jay made her shine. She likes her 356d, while showing respect and understanding of a Ruf branded automobile. She's somethin else for sure.
@@poplaurentiu4148 Agree on Singer. The German version of Lingenfelter of many yrs ago. Dinan is another incredible tuner. Ran an M5 F10 worked over by Dinan yrs ago I was astonished how fast..and quiet that car was. Stayed with him til I hit 148 and got off the fwy behind him. Impressive!
Jay has offered something to the car enthusiast that has never been offered and probably never will offered b anyone going forward, and that is his vast knowledge and love for cars put on display for us to enjoy and learn from. Thank you Jay, for doing this as your show is the highlight of my week!
In the early nineties I visited the Ruf’s garage and was greeted by the both of them. It was obvious that I was not a customer but we shared the love for the cars. You will never meet a nicer and kinder couple! There was a dark green early 911 in the showroom and I beieve it was. His personal car and a 356 carrera was being rebuild in the shop accross the office. Mrs showed us around and invited us to the hockenheimring the next day. It turned out it was a customerday for them and we were treated as such. Impressing for us! We saw a GT1, now how many have you come accross? The plate had Töll in it (= nice) the owner was a young kid with acné and he ran a flat tire. He had no idea how to change his wheel. So the technicians of Ruf did it for him.... Was so jealous and appalled at the same time. So thanks again for the warm welcome I sure never forgot!
Anything made with true passion are the best and most enjoyable. RUF is a fantastic example of this, except it seems to come directly from the top down, making it rare. Hats of to them.
The RUF couple are very delightful to listen too and they're so humble at that. Awesome creations, that green one caught my eye, beautiful masterpiece.
Bruce Meyer is such a true gentleman with outstanding taste... A tip of the hat to you sir 🎩 thank you for so selflessly sharing your amazing collection with us...
Yes Mr. Meyer is truly a selfless enthusiast. Thank you for helping those of us who have the desire, but not the means, to enjoy these get first hand exposure to such great cars.
Easily one of the best episodes. So much history and knowledge from guys like Alois Ruf, Norbert Singer etc. Plus, they are friendly, open and humble. Class acts.
@@joshriver75 EA have been buddy buddy with Porsche since the PS1 days, and they make it difficult for anyone else who want to use Porsches in their games
If only They could put out a gran turismo that would have me playing hundreds or thousands of hours like I used to on ps1 and ps2. I learned about so many cars with those games.
The cars are absolutely sublime. But what is most amazing about this particular episode is the relationship of the Rufs. So considerate and heartfelt. Inspiring!
The actual "speed limit," when I was in High School in Stuttgart, in the early '60s was "what was safe for the conditions." There was that white road sign with the black circle with the slash, but the ultimate judgement, at least then, was what the Politzi thought was safe and reasonable at the time. The German society then was "just a bit authoritarian." Of course, the typical car wreck on the autobahn tended to look more like a plane crash than anything else and the results were messy.
Mr. Ruf is a dying sort of german man. Humble, honest and innovative. When the diesel scandal of VW was uncovered in 2008, I wasnt even old enough to drive but it somehow hurt so bad. As the "people´s car" this company somehow represents me as a german. Such a big lie for such a long time was a tremandous insult for everybody raised with the believes in honesty, loyalty and trustworthiness which are the 3 pillars of german morals that you get raised with (at least for me and the people that surround me). Maybe i am too young, too romantic or even too german but seeing Jay Leno, Mr. Meyer and Mr. and Mrs. Ruf appreciating such a fine engineered peace of technology really feels satisfying. A bit off topic but had to say this. Great video, I really enjoy how Mr. Leno is honoring all kinds of cars. Thank you!
This is one of the best, most consistent channels on TH-cam. It's been helping keep me entertained for years. And just in case anyone running the channel sees this comment, we could *always* use some more videos on Jay's steam cars!
Had the pleasure of meeting Alois at Geneva, lovely chap. What struck me was his energy and passion about his cars, but he eminated someone who works hard.
The stories behind the cars are always great to hear- where has it been who did what to it, etc- many are true labors of love. Wayne Carini finds cars, some he restores, others he finds proper homes for- and if Wayne has his way the story will stay with the car. They are all special people- the Meyers, the Rufs and the Lenos; may there be one child borne, to carry on....
What an amazing opportunity for Mr. Leno here. Truly enjoyed this one. The Yellowbird/Nurburgring video is LEGENDARY! Thank God for Mr. Ruf’s vision, and persistence.
I didn't even know about RUF until now. Thank you Jay Leno from Sweden for showing us amazing cars from around the world, and different time periods. God bless you.
Awesome. Thanks Jay and Bruce for making this happen. Great to hear from the modern "Enzo" or "Shelby." Mr. Ruf. I remember how important and ground breaking that Yellowbird RUF was. Amazingly humble guy, Mr. Ruf. You can see the pride, joy as he was riding with Jay and when showing the 3 models.
This ep was just precious! The Rufs are so kind and gracious. Lovely family and obviously beatiful and amazing cars they produce! Congrats Jay for inviting them to your show!
It’s a bot pleasure hearing MR. Ruf. He speaks slow and low while he sees you directly. It is the same sensation I get with Pagani or Koenigsegg. He is a genious. My favourite car of these three is the yellow one: it seems a common 911 but it is special inside. I started loving this car when it got the world record. Amazing!!!!
The silver Ruf is simply amazing 0.o what a car . And the way Mr. Ruf looks at his wife like it is the first time he has seen her. What a stellar gentleman.
@Cool Well I guess you do not understand a thing about this rarefied car business my friend. In this market of who-knows-who, the wife/business partner is very important. as the man said, when you buy one of his very limited edition car, you become part of a special community. A well heeled group. You would'nt fit obviously...
Waited for an episode like this forever. Ruf has always seemed kinda mysterious. Alois is a real legend in an industry that seems to be getting more corporate and impersonal.
I can’t explain to you how much I absolutely adore this man and his cars. He’s absolutely living my dream and people like him are the reason I’m still trying to get a mechanical engineering degree no matter how long it takes. Its by far the hardest and most stressful thing I’ve ever undertaken but when you see the smile on this guy’s face when Jay presses the accelerator you realize it’s all worth it. Cars are my life and I just want to help create something for people just like me to enjoy everyday.
The Yellowbird lapping Nurburgring is still one of my favorite videos of all time. The race driver that was behind the wheel was a mad man. Here it is: th-cam.com/video/JTGvHskGKI4/w-d-xo.html
What people forget, is just how BAD tires were back then. With modern tire tech and race-car levels of downforce, modern 'ring laps look almost mundane compared to this. Man has perfect spatial awareness, it's like hes rotating the car around his butt, lol!
Thanks, Bruce for sharing your Yellowbird. You are a class act. The dialogue between Jay and Alois while driving was heartwarming. They were connected. Jay, please keep up your good work.
Who watches JLG and would dislike this episode? This one is ''hands down'' one of the best. Along with the appearances of Mr Koenigsegg, Horacio Pagani and Magnus Walker to name a few.
The joy on Mr. RUF face says everything. When he talks about his works, he always expresses the love that he has for the car and how proud he is. Love it!
Agree, always admired the old German way of thought. Their work ethics and approach is admirable. Never could afford to play in that sandbox though but still admire these cars.
Mr Alois Ruf, through his work and that of his father, embodies the West German economic miracle post WW II. A class act too, together with Mrs Estonia Ruf.
I'm a porschephile, so this was an easy choice to watch. Not only gorgeous cars (thanks, Bruce!), but genuine passion from Mr. Ruf, and much more informative than a dry magazine article. Outstanding episode!!
My dad’s friend owned a 1997 CR2 Ruf, his wife was actually my math teacher throughout middle school. I am from Germany, with a mix of American routes as my parents worked for the US federal government. Not military, but employees. He fixed an instrument known as the Oboe, and when I say fixed I mean he had people (I’m sure famous famous famous performers, but I don’t know as I didn’t listen to oboe music in middle school nor was interested nor did I even know what an oboe was really besides it was an instrument) fly to his region just to fix their oboes. Wealthiest man I have ever known. I hope he still has that car. I don’t know why I told this story, but I think this is the moment I fell in love with cars. It was amazing, it was a Porsche (let alone a Ruf), his garage was beautiful, his house was beautiful, just everything. It was an overwhelming experience. I spent the next month, year, years, I don’t even know anymore reading about Ruf (as you see I new Porsche, I knew this was a special one, but I didn’t know much about what Ruf stood for). The Ruf family got me into cars, doesn’t mean anything to anyone else, but it sure means a lot to me. And this is how I got welcomed into the crazy car world. And the gentleman I am talking about fixed oboes for a living. I don’t know why I find that so unbelievable still to this day. Just weird and amazing.
One of the best episodes of JLG for me . That one car to love and Jay , Bruce & the Ruf family al in big respect for each other . I can't wait to see to next generation Yellow bird in the show. Thanks!!
Fantastic! as Jay would say. One of the best Jay Leno’s Garage episodes. Everyone involved is SO SO involved and excitedly so. Thx to Bruce for his dedication as well
Cool show Jay , I'm from Germany and have lived in the United states almost my whole life . I'm an aviation mechanic for 25 years. This has to be one of my favorite shows you have done Thank you Sir !!!!!!
In 87 I was a jr in H.S. driving an 82 GT 5.0 with 150 hp thinking I was the king until I read that July 87 R/T magazine with the Yellow Bird (400+hp) on the cover, blew my mind. Still waiting to win the lotto to get a Ruf Porche. Ruf is a genius, great vision.
15 years ago I saw a RUF 993 parked in a gas station in my home town in Chile. I had no idea what kind of car it was, I was truly intrigued. I sat down on the sidewalk and waited for the owner to ask him which Porsche did he own. About 20 min later he came up to me with a smile on his face. He asked me If I wanted to go for a ride. He explain the whole history of RUF and the car before dropping me of at my school. Damn that thing was fast. It was one of the best car memories I had in my life. One day I will own a RUF car and share this passion and love with somebody else. Thanks for sharing the video. I truly enjoyed it.
What a marrage should be, mutual respect for each other, valuing what each other has to say, sharing a passion and all based on love. Salute Mr. & Mrs. Ruf
Absolutely incredible! What beautiful cars! I thought RUF was just a company that did Porsche mods, I didn't realise they were a standalone manufacturer! Thanks for the great video, this must be the best car channel on TH-cam!
This was a fantastic video. The formatting was great but most importantly you could sense the connection that was being made. As always, thank you Jay Leno's Garage team for sharing such interesting videos.
The best 'moment' of this video is 32:28....the structure is so rigid the left-front wheel is off the ground when crossing a small gutter and it locks. Jay is an absolute hero, as is Alois. Thanks Jay for allowing all of us to enjoy these magnificent automotive works of art. 🙂
Love how Ruf was laughing- but looking @ the tach while Jay was driving. Lmao. Also- loved how the wife was part of the program- incredible couple. Thanks, Jay
In the early 2000's I ran SCCA Solo 2 autocross and there was a first gen RUF in our club. I had no idea at the time how rare they are, I just knew it was wicked fast and looked amazing. It never placed very high because SCCA rules handicapped it a lot, but it was awesome to listen to.
Growing up I always felt there was this mystery around RUF. Such informative fascinating episode ! Love how he involves his wife ! So cool. Think I might break out gran turismo ;) thanks Jay !
Thank you Jay for being a pure great person.. your garage is a holy ground of car enthusiasm.. and thanks for joining DL Hughley on his show.. your the greatest and really mean it
Jay, thanks for showing these wonderful Ruf vehicles, and for having Mr. Ruf and his wife there as well. Like you said, great to put a face to the name. It was also great looking at your Citroen SM in the background, WHICH YOU HAVE NEVER MADE A VIDEO ABOUT! Now would be a great time.
Jay has set the bar high on this one, three legends (RUF, Meyers, Leno) combined with three great cars, simply one awesome episode! Nobody does like Jay Leno!
I subscribed to Road & Track as a teenager and remember very well reading about the yellow 911, learning about the special relationship Ruf had with Porsche, and learning fir thefirsttime in general about specialists in the automotive world like Ruf, and others such as Dinan. So this was a great treat for me, as I am sure it was for others. Especially those in the video, I imagine. Thanks, Jay!
I'm wondering why I've only now come across this episode 🤔 what an enjoyment . The ruf family are wonderful people 😎and the cars they make are works of art. Wonderful story or two from the owner. Superb 👍
I have that issue of Road & Track that he's talking about and I remember that comparison test very well. The Yellow Bird is what put Ruf on the map. About the only production car or modified special that could touch it was the Vector W8 but it was rarely seen and was somewhat of an enigma. Some wondered if the Vector even really existed at all.
@@trevorkupetz2138 I did. I think something like 18 or so ended up being built. At at time Vector had just one or two prototypes that they shipped around for the press, no production models. That's why some journalists were doubting that the car would ever really exist as a full blown production model. If only Vector could have secured more financing who knows what they could have done.
@@komradkolonel Doug Demuro reviewed a Vector W8. Not sure it would've been much competition for the Ruf, very different kind of car with a different kind of powertrain. Maybe in top speed, but everywhere else the Ruf is far more focused.
Always loved Their cars. Thanks Jay for all you do for car community. It was super cool for your friend to bring his yellow bird. Man I have to be honest that 993 just gave me the tingles. Awesome!
"What we have, porsche can/could have done it too" Mr Ruf is so humble, not taking all the credits...
If it wasn't for that crash he spoke about they might be remained small but that accident sealed the name RUF..
I still remember being so confused as a kid playing Gran Turismo. Porsche wasn't in the game but RUF was. It's nice to hear about the full history and see just how much different they are. As always great episode Jay.
i have very similar memories. i loved the mystery of it, the possibilities of what else was out there
He even got the founder of RUF to get on his show!! This is why I love this channel, as if the Yellowbird wasn’t enough! Thank you Jay Leno and your whole crew for making this possible.
This is Alois Ruf, Jr. The company was founded by his father, Alois Ruf Sr. Had you been watching the video and paying attention, you would have realized that Alois Ruf, Sr. died in 1974. Alois Ruf succeeded his father as head of the company at that time. Ruf was founded in 1939, predating Ruf Jr.'s birth by eleven years.
Was so excited that I didn’t pay attention to that detail haha The more you know, thanks for the extra knowledge!
This is the best channel on youtube, and what you stated is one of the reasons why
ikr
Ruf Jr. is a scholar and a gentleman. Jay Leno is the renaissance class clown with class. The school is complete!
Amazing episode. Mr. Ruf is worth listening to all day. What an interesting and humble person, huge respect. I just wish Jay would not interrupt him as much and would talk a little more about how the car drives too.
A lot of respect for mr ruf, extremely clever guy
and the guy truly loves his wife
One of my favourite Germans along with Vettel and Schumacher. Such a nice guy.
He seems like a real car guy, and laid back like Jay.
@@siraff4461 I wonder if Vettel is German, I mean he disobeyed a direct order on Sunday.
@@tomtalk24 Many Germans do, they only appear on the outside not to do it. ;-)
"...and this feels like a brand new car"
"Ya, that's the way it should be. It's only 30 years."
In the 90's I worked at a shop that sold & serviced all sorts of exotics - old & new. Only the Porsche guys DROVE their cars. The English and Italian car owners avoided driving their cars. It was a real eye opener. The German cars are built with the expectation that they will be driven every day and see heavy service. The Italian cars are built according to entirely different philosophy of use. The designers and engineers assume that their customers own many, many other cars and so their cars will see limited service and lead a pampered existence. So they build them accordingly. The English car owners longed to drive their cars as though they were German cars, but most came to realize that they were more like the Italian cars.
Very interesting insight. Fast forward to 2019. I would much prefer to own an ~1975 - 1990 BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz versus the newer vehicles they're producing now. (I don't need an iPhone-on-wheels).
Eh... some Porsches had inherent issues so they're weren't immune to that, but they were still above the rest in reliability
I mean I am fine with technology but Panameras aren't porsches
@@bugraerkan2663 the soccer moms just had to have their own Porsche...
Right.
Regards from germany
There’s a special feeling when the founder himself is present, explaining his cars to people in such enthusiastic, historical manner. Made even more special when you grew up driving and loving the RUF in Gran Turismo, and seeing him in the flesh and remember that this is the man behind the cars you love so much. Thank you, Alois Ruf Jr.
At 21:07 even the blow-off valve sounds like bird chirps lol. Truly a “Yellowbird”
I've lost track of the wins.I'd love to drive the real version too.
I remember these cars from gran turismo they were my favorites to play on that game.
Nich Hodge duh
@Nich Hodge and there is nothing special about taking over somebody else's car and making it faster. Its exactly what the Porsche family did from the very beginning by putting a lightweight aluminium body on a VW bug. All Mr Ruf did was also put an aluminium body on a porsche before he started tinkering heir engines.
History repeats itsself. Porsche family did it to VW's, Ruf do it to Porsches.
It's a brilliant thing to do
One of the best episodes definitely in the top ten this guy is smart and not full of himself awesome guest. Good job Jay.
So hes NOT a elon musk
"This feels like a brand new car"
"So it should be, it's only 30yrs"
Gotta love that German build quality.
Dave til you start lifting hoods 👀
It isn’t like they were dailied for a decade and parked outside every night. Even a Yugo would shine if it were kept like these vehicles
Yes my 66 VW Bus has 350,000+ miles and drives like....well it's all new underneath now so like New! Best Box in the world!
@@redram5150 Matt Farah has stated that the 911s of the 80s/90s and the r32 skyline of the era feel like spaceships compared other sports cars if the era due to build quality.... And has stated that by today 30+ years they feel solid and tight........
Na, he says that because that ole moneybag is about 100 years old and 30 years is practical yesterday for him. A hooray for modern medicine, so old millionaires can become even older millionaires. That's how it works, guys. In a few years 80% of the worlds money will be owned by a bunch of high-tech coffins. Mark my words...
his wife is so classically beautiful its wonderful. Love her style and looks.
I love to see adoration in a womans eyes...
@@patricklilly6628
Women are proud of men that did something big with their lives.
Sexy AF,
GILD GILF GILF GILF
I wasn't very interested, but her 45 second exchange with Jay made her shine.
She likes her 356d, while showing respect and understanding of a Ruf branded automobile. She's somethin else for sure.
Mr Ruf is literally a living legend
Singer is another crazy tuner shop for customizing Porsche, they fully re-build & tuned cars so good that forced Porsche to buy shares in them..
@@poplaurentiu4148Quality Singer 🤟💯🤠🙏
@@poplaurentiu4148 Agree on Singer. The German version of Lingenfelter of many yrs ago.
Dinan is another incredible tuner. Ran an M5 F10 worked over by Dinan yrs ago I was astonished how fast..and quiet that car was. Stayed with him til I hit 148 and got off the fwy behind him. Impressive!
Jay has offered something to the car enthusiast that has never been offered and probably never will offered b anyone going forward, and that is his vast knowledge and love for cars put on display for us to enjoy and learn from. Thank you Jay, for doing this as your show is the highlight of my week!
In the early nineties I visited the Ruf’s garage and was greeted by the both of them.
It was obvious that I was not a customer but we shared the love for the cars. You will never meet a nicer and kinder couple!
There was a dark green early 911 in the showroom and I beieve it was. His personal car and a 356 carrera was being rebuild in the shop accross the office. Mrs showed us around and invited us to the hockenheimring the next day.
It turned out it was a customerday for them and we were treated as such. Impressing for us!
We saw a GT1, now how many have you come accross? The plate had Töll in it (= nice) the owner was a young kid with acné and he ran a flat tire.
He had no idea how to change his wheel. So the technicians of Ruf did it for him....
Was so jealous and appalled at the same time. So thanks again for the warm welcome I sure never forgot!
Anything made with true passion are the best and most enjoyable. RUF is a fantastic example of this, except it seems to come directly from the top down, making it rare. Hats of to them.
Lucky you. Relish that moment...
@@patricklilly6628 Relishhh....
Lies they say they’ve been married 22 years, so they probably married in 97... They weren’t even together nice story tho.
@@bradleyfulton647 you can be with a woman for many years before marrying her. how all the pros play the game. you'd know if you were one.
The RUF couple are very delightful to listen too and they're so humble at that. Awesome creations, that green one caught my eye, beautiful masterpiece.
Bruce Meyer is such a true gentleman with outstanding taste... A tip of the hat to you sir 🎩 thank you for so selflessly sharing your amazing collection with us...
Yes Mr. Meyer is truly a selfless enthusiast. Thank you for helping those of us who have the desire, but not the means, to enjoy these get first hand exposure to such great cars.
Bruce Meyer God Bless You and Your Family Bruce 🙏🏾 you make all Gearheads/petrol heads very proud.
Nice to see some "normal" people today having a nice conversation about car history. Video felt like less than 10 Minutes
"I've been a Porsche driver since 1961" all of a sudden, I don't feel so old
ky le It made me feel poor 😂
That makes him 11 when he first drove a Porsche.
The "1989" comment made me feel old. 30 years since I graduated high school.
It made me recall all of the cravings I had for a 911 back then. I ended up with a 928, and still crave a 911.
yea man, but the dude still looks damn good for his age. I guess having such a strong financial position makes that easy. hehehe
Easily one of the best episodes.
So much history and knowledge from guys like Alois Ruf, Norbert Singer etc. Plus, they are friendly, open and humble. Class acts.
Gran Turismo educated me on this.
PlayStation 1.
Kinda weird that Porsche wouldn't give permission to be in a video game but will let someone rebrand their product.
gran turismo 2, ruf wasnt in gt1
@@joshriver75 EA have been buddy buddy with Porsche since the PS1 days, and they make it difficult for anyone else who want to use Porsches in their games
If only They could put out a gran turismo that would have me playing hundreds or thousands of hours like I used to on ps1 and ps2. I learned about so many cars with those games.
@@LUNCHMONEY4numbers Never thought about that possibility before.
It makes sense.
The cars are absolutely sublime. But what is most amazing about this particular episode is the relationship of the Rufs. So considerate and heartfelt. Inspiring!
26:27
"our speed limit is our traffic"....
So true. Nothing like driving in an unlimited speed zone and a truck pulls up before an uphill.
The actual "speed limit," when I was in High School in Stuttgart, in the early '60s was "what was safe for the conditions." There was that white road sign with the black circle with the slash, but the ultimate judgement, at least then, was what the Politzi thought was safe and reasonable at the time. The German society then was "just a bit authoritarian." Of course, the typical car wreck on the autobahn tended to look more like a plane crash than anything else and the results were messy.
Covid 19: "Not any more!"
LA has been wonderful for the car enthusiasts as of late, I understand.
WOW! Bruce Meyer and Jay Leno and RUF, a perfect combination.
I love that Alois was wearing RUF branded slippers!
(Laughs), extra fancy.
Chris Cave They look stylish and comfy. I’d love a pair!
Wow! Great catch, solid eyes you have. : )
Mr. Ruf is a dying sort of german man. Humble, honest and innovative. When the diesel scandal of VW was uncovered in 2008, I wasnt even old enough to drive but it somehow hurt so bad. As the "people´s car" this company somehow represents me as a german. Such a big lie for such a long time was a tremandous insult for everybody raised with the believes in honesty, loyalty and trustworthiness which are the 3 pillars of german morals that you get raised with (at least for me and the people that surround me). Maybe i am too young, too romantic or even too german but seeing Jay Leno, Mr. Meyer and Mr. and Mrs. Ruf appreciating such a fine engineered peace of technology really feels satisfying. A bit off topic but had to say this. Great video, I really enjoy how Mr. Leno is honoring all kinds of cars. Thank you!
This is one of the best, most consistent channels on TH-cam. It's been helping keep me entertained for years. And just in case anyone running the channel sees this comment, we could *always* use some more videos on Jay's steam cars!
Had the pleasure of meeting Alois at Geneva, lovely chap. What struck me was his energy and passion about his cars, but he eminated someone who works hard.
I think what I love about this series is less the cars themselves, and more the personal connection _to_ the cars, the stories surrounding them.
The stories behind the cars are always great to hear- where has it been who did what to it, etc- many are true labors of love. Wayne Carini finds cars, some he restores, others he finds proper homes for- and if Wayne has his way the story will stay with the car. They are all special people- the Meyers, the Rufs and the Lenos; may there be one child borne, to carry on....
Agreed! Cars/car culture is all of our history in a way, and best of all it's only getting bigger! They transcend cultures and languages.
When jay closed the door after the drive: *click
30 years old and it's still so perfect.
Mr. Ruf and his wife on Jay Leno's Garage.
I feel privileged watching this episode, the best one so far.
What an amazing opportunity for Mr. Leno here. Truly enjoyed this one. The Yellowbird/Nurburgring video is LEGENDARY! Thank God for Mr. Ruf’s vision, and persistence.
I didn't even know about RUF until now. Thank you Jay Leno from Sweden for showing us amazing cars from around the world, and different time periods. God bless you.
Lukas Abraham th-cam.com/video/OSMCfPASImQ/w-d-xo.html
Awesome. Thanks Jay and Bruce for making this happen. Great to hear from the modern "Enzo" or "Shelby." Mr. Ruf. I remember how important and ground breaking that Yellowbird RUF was. Amazingly humble guy, Mr. Ruf. You can see the pride, joy as he was riding with Jay and when showing the 3 models.
This ep was just precious! The Rufs are so kind and gracious. Lovely family and obviously beatiful and amazing cars they produce! Congrats Jay for inviting them to your show!
It’s a bot pleasure hearing MR. Ruf. He speaks slow and low while he sees you directly. It is the same sensation I get with Pagani or Koenigsegg. He is a genious.
My favourite car of these three is the yellow one: it seems a common 911 but it is special inside. I started loving this car when it got the world record. Amazing!!!!
I didn't expect to be glued to this episode as I was. Such a humble individual Mr. Ruf is. Amazing history in the family.
The silver Ruf is simply amazing 0.o what a car . And the way Mr. Ruf looks at his wife like it is the first time he has seen her. What a stellar gentleman.
"We've been married 22 years now."
"OK, so you've been there since the beginning ..."
Numbers were never Jay's strong point, lol.
The company was founded by his father in 1939!
Maybe he meant she was there at the beginning of his last divorce. Lol
Jay probably guessed before he asked that they have been married for a long time. When that wasn't the case it got a little embarrassing.
@Cool I think she is actually the CEO of the company?
@Cool
Well I guess you do not understand a thing about this rarefied car business my friend. In this market of who-knows-who, the wife/business partner is very important. as the man said, when you buy one of his very limited edition car, you become part of a special community. A well heeled group. You would'nt fit obviously...
Waited for an episode like this forever. Ruf has always seemed kinda mysterious. Alois is a real legend in an industry that seems to be getting more corporate and impersonal.
This is going to be a well spent 34 minutes.
I said the same thing.
*Unzips pants*
Hell yeah
Honba be late to work anyway
You finish that damn car yet?
I can’t explain to you how much I absolutely adore this man and his cars. He’s absolutely living my dream and people like him are the reason I’m still trying to get a mechanical engineering degree no matter how long it takes. Its by far the hardest and most stressful thing I’ve ever undertaken but when you see the smile on this guy’s face when Jay presses the accelerator you realize it’s all worth it. Cars are my life and I just want to help create something for people just like me to enjoy everyday.
The Yellowbird lapping Nurburgring is still one of my favorite videos of all time. The race driver that was behind the wheel was a mad man. Here it is: th-cam.com/video/JTGvHskGKI4/w-d-xo.html
RamblinAround its a great video.
Constant extreme sawing on the steering wheel
Never seen that. I’ll have to check it out after this
What people forget, is just how BAD tires were back then. With modern tire tech and race-car levels of downforce, modern 'ring laps look almost mundane compared to this.
Man has perfect spatial awareness, it's like hes rotating the car around his butt, lol!
Thanks, Bruce for sharing your Yellowbird. You are a class act. The dialogue between Jay and Alois while driving was heartwarming. They were connected. Jay, please keep up your good work.
Jay is on a roll with all of these Porsche videos of late!
Just wanted to drop you a 👍 on the profile photo
Mrs Ruf is a hell of a beautiful woman !! Love her style.❤️
And Mr Ruf is a very nice man too ! 👍
Best video from Jay for my liking and the guests Mr and Mrs Ruf. Huge honor to see!
What a wonderful couple. They seem like a great team and that they love each other very much. Nice cars too.
Legendary!
Leno is doing the greatest service to all of us moto-nerds of the world! Just legendary!
Who watches JLG and would dislike this episode?
This one is ''hands down'' one of the best.
Along with the appearances of Mr Koenigsegg, Horacio Pagani and Magnus Walker to name a few.
some people just hate
period
matters not who, why or what
just hate
you see alot of this today...sad
Real Car People, know how "Big" these Episodes are...
Now we need Mate Rimac to come on the show.
@@maxalwaysgoesbyboat7715 Yeah, just do your part to be better...
Magnificent interview of a truly legendary guy.
Alois Ruf.......wow.
To own a Ruf Rt 12 would be the ultimate.
The joy on Mr. RUF face says everything. When he talks about his works, he always expresses the love that he has for the car and how proud he is. Love it!
Agree, always admired the old German way of thought.
Their work ethics and approach is admirable. Never could afford to play in that sandbox though but still admire these cars.
Mr Alois Ruf, through his work and that of his father, embodies the West German economic miracle post WW II. A class act too, together with Mrs Estonia Ruf.
I'm a porschephile, so this was an easy choice to watch. Not only gorgeous cars (thanks, Bruce!), but genuine passion from Mr. Ruf, and much more informative than a dry magazine article. Outstanding episode!!
Was für unglaublich sympathische Menschen die beiden Rufs!
My dad’s friend owned a 1997 CR2 Ruf, his wife was actually my math teacher throughout middle school. I am from Germany, with a mix of American routes as my parents worked for the US federal government. Not military, but employees. He fixed an instrument known as the Oboe, and when I say fixed I mean he had people (I’m sure famous famous famous performers, but I don’t know as I didn’t listen to oboe music in middle school nor was interested nor did I even know what an oboe was really besides it was an instrument) fly to his region just to fix their oboes. Wealthiest man I have ever known. I hope he still has that car. I don’t know why I told this story, but I think this is the moment I fell in love with cars. It was amazing, it was a Porsche (let alone a Ruf), his garage was beautiful, his house was beautiful, just everything. It was an overwhelming experience. I spent the next month, year, years, I don’t even know anymore reading about Ruf (as you see I new Porsche, I knew this was a special one, but I didn’t know much about what Ruf stood for). The Ruf family got me into cars, doesn’t mean anything to anyone else, but it sure means a lot to me. And this is how I got welcomed into the crazy car world.
And the gentleman I am talking about fixed oboes for a living. I don’t know why I find that so unbelievable still to this day. Just weird and amazing.
One of the best episodes of JLG for me . That one car to love and Jay , Bruce & the Ruf family al in big respect for each other . I can't wait to see to next generation Yellow bird in the show. Thanks!!
Fantastic! as Jay would say. One of the best Jay Leno’s Garage episodes. Everyone involved is SO SO involved and excitedly so. Thx to Bruce for his dedication as well
8:22 they got a Hoonigan sticker in their shop hahah amazing
They visited a couple years ago.. Filmed a video and drove many different ruf vehicles.. Including yellow bird.
Cool show Jay , I'm from Germany and have lived in the United states almost my whole life . I'm an aviation mechanic for 25 years. This has to be one of my favorite shows you have done
Thank you Sir !!!!!!
32:29 - Front left wheel lifts up due to stiff suspension and chassis. Pretty impressive for 30 year old car! Awesome video Jay
In 87 I was a jr in H.S. driving an 82 GT 5.0 with 150 hp thinking I was the king until I read that July 87 R/T magazine with the Yellow Bird (400+hp) on the cover, blew my mind. Still waiting to win the lotto to get a Ruf Porche. Ruf is a genius, great vision.
I like Alois, level headed with such simple insights into his cars were explained. Very interesting man
15 years ago I saw a RUF 993 parked in a gas station in my home town in Chile. I had no idea what kind of car it was, I was truly intrigued. I sat down on the sidewalk and waited for the owner to ask him which Porsche did he own.
About 20 min later he came up to me with a smile on his face. He asked me If I wanted to go for a ride. He explain the whole history of RUF and the car before dropping me of at my school. Damn that thing was fast.
It was one of the best car memories I had in my life. One day I will own a RUF car and share this passion and love with somebody else.
Thanks for sharing the video. I truly enjoyed it.
I had the opportunity to sit in the new RUF CTR at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It was fantastic! Easily the coolest car at the show.
What a marrage should be, mutual respect for each other, valuing what each other has to say, sharing a passion and all based on love. Salute Mr. & Mrs. Ruf
Absolutely incredible! What beautiful cars! I thought RUF was just a company that did Porsche mods, I didn't realise they were a standalone manufacturer! Thanks for the great video, this must be the best car channel on TH-cam!
This was a fantastic video. The formatting was great but most importantly you could sense the connection that was being made.
As always, thank you Jay Leno's Garage team for sharing such interesting videos.
Jays go to response when he's not paying attention... "oh that sounds exciting"
"Oh very cool"
That’s like when the Queen of England says, “How amusing for you.”
thats hilarious to me
The best 'moment' of this video is 32:28....the structure is so rigid the left-front wheel is off the ground when crossing a small gutter and it locks.
Jay is an absolute hero, as is Alois. Thanks Jay for allowing all of us to enjoy these magnificent automotive works of art. 🙂
Jay's show really is the best... better than late night
I think this is one of the best videos Jay has managed to post.
Fantastic footage. Amazing personality from Mr. Ruf.
Love how Ruf was laughing- but looking @ the tach while Jay was driving. Lmao. Also- loved how the wife was part of the program- incredible couple. Thanks, Jay
In the early 2000's I ran SCCA Solo 2 autocross and there was a first gen RUF in our club. I had no idea at the time how rare they are, I just knew it was wicked fast and looked amazing. It never placed very high because SCCA rules handicapped it a lot, but it was awesome to listen to.
Jay, how about a video tour of all the artwork in your garage? Thanks.
Great idea!
Good idea. And/or just a general video about the garage would be cool.
I wonder how much his garage costs?
@@hamed3423 Considering that just F1 is around 20million, all those priceless Bugattis he owns and Duesengers. I guess it is around 200-350million.
@@Mr.Cerera69 Can't be> His net worth alone is 300m
This is one of my dream cars, so I really appreciate this interview/showing.
Growing up I always felt there was this mystery around RUF. Such informative fascinating episode ! Love how he involves his wife ! So cool. Think I might break out gran turismo ;) thanks Jay !
Thank you Jay for being a pure great person.. your garage is a holy ground of car enthusiasm.. and thanks for joining DL Hughley on his show.. your the greatest and really mean it
Alois Ruf is a living Legend!
Can't wait for more guys.
Jay, thanks for showing these wonderful Ruf vehicles, and for having Mr. Ruf and his wife there as well. Like you said, great to put a face to the name. It was also great looking at your Citroen SM in the background, WHICH YOU HAVE NEVER MADE A VIDEO ABOUT! Now would be a great time.
What a great story to hear about the “Ruf” family, always great to see a win!
I love hearing the history behind his company. Amazing guy with an amazing story
It is an amazing car, so i could only imagine Alois to be just as nice, and he did not disappoint. Excellent content Jay, thank you so much!
This was my dream car as a kid reading road & track magazine.
One of the best episodes of the JLG.
Simply magnificent - the people, the cars, the discussion ... all of it ... magnificent
I don’t care who you are, if you click this video and get a minute into it, you’re going to watch the entire thing.
Yup. Can confirm. RUF's are genius. I'm very impressed.
👍💯....So many good things in this video!
Anyone who down votes these are idiots
Really nice people having a great time and chating about cars and life.
Thank you Jay and producers.
Gran Turismo memories! 😍
and back when a massive amounts of Games used RuF because of EA's exclusive licensing agreement with Porsche.
An amazing couple. So much class and experience.
I love hearing about the details of a project directly from the Creator's themselves. Amazing interview.
Jay has set the bar high on this one, three legends (RUF, Meyers, Leno) combined with three great cars, simply one awesome episode! Nobody does like Jay Leno!
Jay is nervous around true automotive royalty, he is human after all.
I subscribed to Road & Track as a teenager and remember very well reading about the yellow 911, learning about the special relationship Ruf had with Porsche, and learning fir thefirsttime in general about specialists in the automotive world like Ruf, and others such as Dinan. So this was a great treat for me, as I am sure it was for others. Especially those in the video, I imagine. Thanks, Jay!
They seem like a couple(Ruf's) who really is in love. What a lovely sight that is!
I'm wondering why I've only now come across this episode 🤔 what an enjoyment . The ruf family are wonderful people 😎and the cars they make are works of art. Wonderful story or two from the owner. Superb 👍
"You have a 356 twin cam?" It would be fun to see Mr. Ruf drive.
I think Mr. Ruf owns one too.
I doubt he's a guy who's easily impressed, but that sure did the trick
he lit up when he said that
@@tmass1 YESSSSS
Incredible episode! Thank you Jay for getting these cars and owners on the show. Educational!
Me - sees Jay Leno in the driver seat.
Me- sees Jay Leno in the passenger seat.
Me- WTF IS GOING ON
Jay Leno and Bruce Meyer, thank you for this episode. Been waiting since Gran Turismo for this episode
I have that issue of Road & Track that he's talking about and I remember that comparison test very well. The Yellow Bird is what put Ruf on the map. About the only production car or modified special that could touch it was the Vector W8 but it was rarely seen and was somewhat of an enigma. Some wondered if the Vector even really existed at all.
komradkolonel it existed. My cousin has everything ever published about the vector. Palmdale kid😂
Vector: sketchy as hell, and somehow tacky too. Ruf series: solidity and class.
@@trevorkupetz2138 I did. I think something like 18 or so ended up being built. At at time Vector had just one or two prototypes that they shipped around for the press, no production models. That's why some journalists were doubting that the car would ever really exist as a full blown production model. If only Vector could have secured more financing who knows what they could have done.
@@komradkolonel Doug Demuro reviewed a Vector W8. Not sure it would've been much competition for the Ruf, very different kind of car with a different kind of powertrain. Maybe in top speed, but everywhere else the Ruf is far more focused.
Always loved Their cars. Thanks Jay for all you do for car community. It was super cool for your friend to bring his yellow bird. Man I have to be honest that 993 just gave me the tingles. Awesome!