The brand renowned for engineering ultra-high-performance Porsche-based platforms just unveiled its first-ever boxer-eight engine at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, previewing the powertrain set to underpin its next generation of high-performance models.

Dubbed the “B8 Erprober” (German for "Tester"), the newly developed 4.8L, twin-turbo, flat-eight by RUF Automobile produces more than 1,000 HP and over 1,000 Nm of torque. Developed entirely in-house, the prototype serves as a rolling testbed for technologies destined for a future production RUF.

Instead of displaying the engine on a stand, RUF installed it in a specially modified CTR3 development mule and sent it up the Goodwood hill climb during the Supercar Run with Tanner Foust behind the wheel.

Although it resembles a standard CTR3, the prototype's body has been stretched by 100 mm to accommodate the larger engine, which is paired with a RUF-developed six-speed manual transmission.

According to RUF, the B8 reflects its philosophy of thoroughly validating new technologies before they reach production.

"There are moments in a company's history that define the future. For RUF, the Boxer 8 is one of those moments," said Alois Ruf, founder of RUF.

The prototype also wears a bespoke livery inspired by the iconic Blossom Yellow of the CTR Yellowbird. Designed with Aloisa Ruf and Optima Batteries, the flowing figure-eight graphics symbolize both the new engine configuration and the company's continuous pursuit of engineering refinement.

While still in the development stage, the B8 Erprober's public debut at this year's Goodwood offered the clearest preview yet of RUF's future high-performance models and their next-generation powertrain.