The RUF Rodeo: A Baja-Style Love Letter to the 911… Without Being a 911

What makes the Rodeo special

It’s built like an exotic… because it is one

RUF didn’t start with a production 911 shell and “lift kit” it into something rugged. The Rodeo is built around RUF’s carbon-fiber monocoque architecture, and RUF leans hard into the idea that this is a purpose-built platform for the job.

That matters, because the off-road fantasy is easy; the engineering is hard. The Rodeo brings:

• A raised ride height of about 9.5 inches (which is wild when you picture a classic 911 silhouette sitting that tall).
• Pushrod-actuated coilovers and electronically adjustable dampers—the kind of “race car hardware” you expect on serious performance machines, not something with a roof rack vibe.
• A high-strength steel roll cage integrated to the tub (RUF calls out this integrated approach on the model page, and MotorTrend details the roll cage attachment points).

It’s a manual, AWD, rear-engined oddball (in the best way)

RUF makes a big deal—rightfully—about the Rodeo’s layout: rear-engined, manual transmission, carbon-tub, and built for all-terrain use.

The drivetrain story is where it gets delicious:

• 3.6-liter turbo flat-six
• 610 hp
• 516 lb-ft
• 6-speed manual
• Fully adjustable AWD, with front/rear torque bias control
• Limited-slip differentials front and rear

That’s not “cute off-road styling.” That’s “bring a helmet” engineering.

Production: how many will RUF build?

Here’s the honest answer: RUF’s official model info emphasizes “limited production” but does not publish a hard number on the main Rodeo model page.

However, RUF’s own Instagram post about the first production Rodeo describes it as “number 25 of just 50 built.” So, the best-supported public figure right now is 50 units total, but it’s worth noting the formal number is not stated on the core model page—so treat “50” as coming from RUF’s social announcement rather than a spec sheet PDF.

Color schemes and the Rodeo’s “Americana” design theme

RUF’s Rodeo has a strong design point of view: it’s not trying to look like a modern hypercar. It’s going for retro-rally with a dash of Western Americana.

Exterior colors seen and referenced

MotorTrend called out a buffet of wonderfully old-school colors, including:

• Signal Orange (the loud “you will see me in the dust cloud” shade)
• Olive Green
• Bitter Chocolate
• Burgundy Red
• Aga Blue

And when the first production car was shown, it appeared in Jordan Black with white center-lock forged wheels and white roof rails, plus integrated “bash bars” front and rear.

Interior: cowboy culture, but make it boutique

Depending on which reveal you’re looking at, the interior gets described with different flavors of the same idea:

• MotorTrend and Car and Driver reference the cabin vibe as drawing inspiration from an upscale ranch aesthetic. ([MotorTrend][1])
• Excellence magazine goes a step deeper and notes the themed interior work was driven by Estonia Ruf, giving the car a bold, patterned look that evokes Americana and the “Wild West” spirit.

It’s the sort of cabin that makes you want to drive somewhere dusty just so the interior theme feels earned.

Specifications that matter (the stuff you’d actually brag about)

Here’s the Rodeo in the “garage talk” version:

• Engine: 3.6L turbocharged flat-six
• Output: 610 hp / 516 lb-ft
• Transmission: 6-speed manual
• Drivetrain: Adjustable AWD + front/rear LSDs
• Suspension: Pushrod coilovers, electronically adjustable dampers
• Ground clearance / ride height: ~9.5 inches
• Weight: reported around 2,756 lb (MotorTrend) and under 3,000 lb in other coverage
• Top speed: 155 mph (not the point of the car… but still hilarious)
• Tires: custom Goodyear all-terrain in 235/55R-18 sizing referenced by Car and Driver

How it differs from Porsche’s Baja-style efforts

If you’re comparing “Porsche-ish off-road performance,” the obvious reference point is the 911 Dakar—a factory-built, lifted 911 with rally intent and a hard production cap. Porsche explicitly limited the 911 Dakar to 2,500 units globally.

But the Rodeo isn’t trying to out-Dakar the Dakar by being a factory 911. It’s trying to out-Dakar it by being a boutique, carbon-tub, manual, adjustable-AWD oddity with a level of handcrafted weirdness Porsche can’t (and probably shouldn’t) do at scale.

In other words:

• 911 Dakar: the “OEM rally special” you can service through Porsche channels
• RUF Rodeo: the “hand-built fever dream” that feels like it escaped a sketchbook and somehow got engineered properly

What sets it apart from any competition?

The Rodeo’s real advantage is that it stacks rare traits you almost never see together:

• Manual gearbox in an ultra-low-volume, high-power, exotic-grade build
• Carbon monocoque architecture applied to an all-terrain mission
• Adjustable AWD tuned for driver involvement, not just “set it and forget it” A design that commits to a theme—retro rally + Western Americana—instead of trying to look “tough” in a generic way

It’s equal parts performance tool, collectible sculpture, and rolling punchline to the idea that sports cars should only live on perfect pavement.

And honestly, if you’re going to build something this intense, you might as well build it like RUF did—with a carbon spine, a clutch pedal, and enough ground clearance to make a curb feel like a speed bump.

Photo attributions- TopGear

Read About- Ruf

Quick Reference- MotorTrend