Ruf Bets the Farm on a New 1,000-HP Twin-Turbo Flat-Eight

German boutique tuner Ruf has just thrown down the gauntlet with a fire-breathing new flat-eight engine that cracks the 1,000-horsepower barrier—without a single hybrid assist or electric turbo in sight. The new Boxer 8 is a twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder that belts out over 1,000 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, all mated to a six-speed manual transmission. That’s right: no dual-clutch, no paddle shifters, just a proper shifter and a row-your-own experience.

The prototype is already thumping away in an elongated Ruf CTR3 chassis—dubbed Erprober, or “The Tester”—and will likely become the heart of the upcoming CTR4 hypercar. Ruf hasn’t released internal specs, but the engine’s architecture looks suspiciously like Porsche’s legendary Mezger V8 with two extra cylinders bolted on, suggesting both the power claims and bulletproof reliability are entirely plausible. The Erprober prototype will make its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed’s Supercar Run, with stunt driver Tanner Foust at the wheel.

Alois Ruf called the Boxer 8 a defining moment for the company, declaring it’s time to write a new chapter in automotive history. This isn’t Ruf’s first eight-cylinder rodeo—the 2010 RGT-8 packed a naturally aspirated 4.5-liter BMW V8 tuned to 550 horsepower, launching the 997-generation 911-based beast to over 200 mph. But the new flat-eight is a clean-sheet design, marking Ruf’s push toward full independence from donor platforms.

The company has spent the last 15 years developing its own carbon-composite monocoques and engines, leaving Porsche-derived flat-sixes and BMW V8s in the rearview. While Porsche flirted with a flat-eight for a potential supercar around 2019, rumors pegged its output at just 600 horsepower—nowhere near Ruf’s 1,000-plus target. Expect the CTR4 to aim for Ruf’s top-speed legacy, with whispers of a 300-mph target.

Until then, the Erprober prototype will roar up the Goodwood hillclimb, giving the crowd a taste of what’s to come—and a chance to hear that baritone flat-eight sing in person.