Courtesy RM Sotheby’s
A 1986 Porsche RUF 3.4 CR is currently listed in RM Sotheby’s Private Sales with an estimated price of $150,000 USD. Located in Chiba, Japan, this C00 German-market 911 was converted to RUF 3.4 CR specification by Japan’s official RUF distributor at the time, Ishida Engineering. It stands as a seldom-seen naturally aspirated RUF model in a market where turbocharged variants dominate.
Background of the RUF 3.4 CR
By the mid-1980s, RUF Automobile had established itself as a serious Porsche tuner. After producing their first modified 911 Turbo in 1977, the company introduced its first naturally aspirated model, the SCR, just a year later. While turbocharged models remained RUF’s flagship products, naturally aspirated cars offered a more accessible entry point, expanding the brand’s reach. This 3.4 CR is part of that early lineage.
Documented Japanese Ownership History
The base 911 was completed by Porsche in December 1985 and sent to RUF for conversion. It was first registered in Japan in November 1986 to a leasing company in Osaka. Over the years, it changed hands within Japan, moving to Kyoto in 1990, Tokyo in 1995 (where it remained until 2009), then Shizuoka Prefecture, Nagoya in 2014, Matsumoto City, and finally Hamamatsu City. Acquired by the current owner in 2019, the car has covered approximately 13,000 km since, with an odometer reading just under 98,300 km today.
Regular Maintenance and Care
The current owner has maintained the car at a Porsche specialist in Hamamatsu. The most recent service was completed in September 2023 at 93,624 km. Prior work includes a fuel pump and tank replacement in August 2022 (87,520 km) and a starter motor replacement in 2019 (81,632 km).
A True Driver’s Porsche
The RUF 3.4 CR is both a collector’s gem and a driver’s car. With a 3.4-litre flat-six engine and a rich provenance, it embodies RUF’s philosophy that these cars should be driven and enjoyed. This example offers its next owner the opportunity to experience a rare chapter in RUF history, whether preserved in a collection or exercised on open roads.
