9ff

Last updated
9FF engineering GmbH
Company type Public
Industry Automotive
Founded2001
Headquarters Dortmund, Germany
Key people
Jan Fatthauer
Products Automobiles, Automotive parts
Website 9ff.com
A 9ff GT9-CS in 2012 9ff GT9-CS - Front - RWD Cars - Hockenheim 2012.png
A 9ff GT9-CS in 2012

9ff is a German car tuning company based in Dortmund. It was founded by Jan Fatthauer in 2001. It specializes in converting stock Porsches into street legal racing vehicles, either as fully tuned cars, [1] [2] [ citation needed ] or by selling individual parts or kits. [3] The company is best known for building one of the first cars to exceed 400 km/h (249 mph), the GT9, capable of 256 mph (412 km/h). [4] The former company, 9ff Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH, filed for bankruptcy in September 2013. [5] [6] A new company, 9ff Engineering GmbH was founded in October 2013.

Contents

History

Early years

Jan Fatthauer founded 9ff Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH in 2001 in Dortmund, Germany, as a Porsche tuning company. Fatthauer earned a degree in automotive engineering, and had worked at recognized tuners until 2001. [ citation needed ]

In May 2004, 9ff achieved its first record, reaching 372 km/h (231 mph) with a 9ff T6 on the Nardo Ring race track in Nardo, Italy. The company claimed that they had the "fastest Porsche in Nardo". In December of that year, Fatthauer drove a new car, the 9ff V400, up to 388 km/h (241 mph). This car held the record for the world's fastest car until the company beat that record with the GT9 later that year. At the time, 9ff was building a wide variety of products, including some powered by alternative fuel, setting several records.[ citation needed ]

In September 2006, the 9ff TRC-85 reached 380.5 km/h (236.4 mph), becoming the fastest street-legal convertible of its time.

In October 2008, the 9ff CT78, based on the Porsche Cayman, won the top-speed record for cars powered by alternative fuel, with its top speed of 347 km/h (216 mph), powered by bioethanol.

On April 10, 2008, the 9ff GT9 reached 407 km/h (253 mph) (confirmed with GPS), becoming the fastest street-legal car in the world. [7] [8]

In 2009, 9ff unveiled the Speed9, the second car entirely built by 9ff. The Speed9 is a classic roadster that has a lower windshield and cleaner horizontal lines than the 1955 Porsche 356/1 500S Speedster and the 911 and 964 Speedster (1989 and 1993 respectively) that it is based on. [9] [10] The same year, the 9ff TR1000 became the fastest Porsche 911 in the world on the racing circuit in Papenburg, with a top speed of 391.7 km/h (243.4 mph). [11]

In early 2010, 9ff introduced the twin-turbocharged version of the Porsche GT3 and the Porsche GT3RS, through its new tuning program, the GTurbo. Two turbochargers were added to upgrade the vehicle's horsepower to 750, 850 or 1,000 hp.[ citation needed ] 9ff added new bumpers front and rear, side skirts, new quarter panels, and extra vents. With the 1,000 hp option, the car could reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 2.9 seconds, with a top speed of 392 km/h (244 mph). [12] The company also upgraded the direct-injection Porsche Turbo.

Bankruptcy

In 2013 9ff filed for bankruptcy, along with Gumpert, Wiesmann, Artega and Lola. This has been attributed to a decline in business as Porsche drew in more customers seeking unmodified cars. A new company, 9ff Engineering GmbH, was founded in October of the same year.

The 750 PS (740 bhp; 550 kW) 9ff GTurbo 750, based on the 2006 Porsche 997 GT3 RS 9ff GTurbo 750 based on 2006 Porsche 997 GT3 RS.jpg
The 750 PS (740 bhp; 550 kW) 9ff GTurbo 750, based on the 2006 Porsche 997 GT3 RS

Models

Production (2019):


Discontinued models (partial list):

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 356</span> 1948–1965 sports car

The Porsche 356 is a sports car that was first produced by Austrian company Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH (1948–1949), and then by German company Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH (1950–1965). It was Porsche's first production automobile. Earlier cars designed by the Austrian company include Cisitalia Grand Prix race car, the Volkswagen Beetle, and Auto Union Grand Prix cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 959</span> Sports car model

The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1986 to 1993, first as a Group B rally car and later as a road legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring at least 200 units be produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 (997)</span> Sixth generation of the Porsche 911

The Porsche 997 is the sixth generation of the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche. It was sold between 2004 and 2013. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupé began in early 2004, and the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S began to be delivered to customers in November 2005. Deliveries of the Turbo and GT3 derivatives were carried out in late 2006, along with the GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupé and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were also available, which continued the trend of the "glass canopy" roof design used since its first application in the 993 until the 991 generation. This was later reverted to the classic targa top layout used in earlier models of the 911 Targa.

Noble Automotive Ltd, more commonly known simply as Noble, is an English sports car manufacturer based in Leicester. Noble Automotive Ltd. was established in 1999 by Lee Noble in Leeds, West Yorkshire, for producing high-speed sports cars with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lee Noble was the chief designer and part owner of Noble. The company was sold in August 2006. He left the company in February 2008 and shortly after announced his new venture, Fenix Automotive in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brabus</span> German high-performance automotive aftermarket tuning company

Brabus GmbH is a German high-performance automotive aftermarket tuning company founded in 1977 in Bottrop. Brabus specialises mainly in Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Smart vehicles. They have also modified other vehicles including Porsche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 GT1</span> Grand Touring race car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche

The Porsche 911 GT1 is a car designed and developed by German automobile manufacturer Porsche AG to compete in the GT1 class of sportscar racing, which also required a street-legal version for homologation purposes. The limited-production street-legal version developed as a result was named the 911 GT1 Straßenversion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruf Automobile</span> German automobile manufacturer

Ruf Automobile GmbH is a German car manufacturer. Formerly using Porsche bodies in white to build cars, today they build vehicles on their own bodies and chassis. They also manufacture performance parts for various Porsche models, including the 911, Boxster, and Cayman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nardò Ring</span> Test track in Nardò, Italy

The Nardò Ring, originally known as Pista di prova di Nardò della Fiat when it was built in 1975, is a high speed test track located at more than 23 kilometres (14 mi) north-west of the town of Nardò, Italy, in the southern region of Apulia, in the Province of Lecce. It was acquired by Porsche Engineering in 2012 from its former owners, Prototipo SpA. Porsche now calls the site Nardò Technical Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 GT3</span> Porsche sports car

The Porsche 911 GT3 is a high-performance homologation model of the Porsche 911 sports car. It is a line of high-performance models, which began with the 1973 911 Carrera RS. The GT3 has had a successful racing career in the one-make national and regional Porsche Carrera Cup and GT3 Cup Challenge series, as well as the international Porsche Supercup supporting the FIA F1 World Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruf CTR</span> Motor vehicle

The Ruf CTR also known as the CTR Yellowbird or simply Yellowbird, is a limited-production, high performance sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Ruf Automobile. Introduced for the 1987 model year and based on the Porsche 911, the CTR featured an enlarged and highly tuned version of Porsche's 3.2 litre flat-six cylinder engine, lightened body panels, an integrated roll cage, upgraded suspension and braking systems, a custom-designed transmission, and several unique trim pieces such as polyurethane bumpers, and the use of the side-mounted oil filler necessitated by relocating the oil tank forward to clear the intercooler on that side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 GT2</span> Motor vehicle

The Porsche 911 GT2 is a high-performance, track-focused sports car built by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1993 to 2009, and then since 2010 as the GT2 RS. It is based on the 911 Turbo, and uses a similar twin-turbocharged engine, but features numerous upgrades, including engine enhancements, larger brakes, and stiffer suspension calibration. The GT2 is significantly lighter than the Turbo due to its use of rear-wheel-drive instead of all-wheel-drive system and the reduction or removal of interior components. As a result, the GT2 is the most expensive and fastest model among the 911 lineup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruf RK</span> Motor vehicle

The Ruf RK Coupe and RK Spyder are mid-engine sports cars made by Ruf Automobile in collaboration with Italian design house Studiotorino. The RK Spyder was introduced in 2005 in Turin and the RK Coupe was introduced the following year in 2006 in California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9ff GT9</span> Motor vehicle

The 9ff GT9 is a sports car based loosely on the Porsche 911, built by German tuning company 9ff, founded by Jan Fatthauer. Based on the Porsche 911 (997) GT3; the cars are extensively rebuilt and fitted with a heavily modified 3.6-4.0 litre flat 6 engine that produces 738 to 1,120 bhp, depending on the configuration. One of the major differences from a normal 911 is the positioning of the engine; whilst every 911 throughout Porsche's history has been rear-engined, the GT9 is mid-engined for better weight distribution.

eRuf Model A Motor vehicle

The eRuf Model A is a late-2000s all-electric concept sports car built by German automobile manufacturer Ruf Automobile. The car was powered by a UQM Technologies propulsion system. The car has a top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph) and was capable of producing 150 kW of power and 479 lb⋅ft (649 N⋅m) of torque. Estimated range per charge was 250–320 km (155–199 mi), depending on performance level, using iron-phosphate, lithium-ion batteries built by Axeon plc of Great Britain. During coasting the engine works as a generator producing electricity to charge the batteries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 (991)</span> Motor vehicle

The Porsche 991 is the seventh generation of the Porsche 911 sports car, which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on 15 September as the replacement for the 997. The 991 was an entirely new platform, only the third since the original 911 launched in 1963. Production of the 991 generation ended on December 20, 2019, with 233,540 units produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bisi Ezerioha</span> American racing driver

Ndubisi "Bisi" Ezerioha is a Nigerian-American engineer, professional race car driver, entrepreneur and engine builder. He is the current CEO and Chief Engineer for Bisimoto Engineering. Ezerioha is involved in import drag racing, and pilots a 2006 Honda Insight in the pro stock ranks of IDRA, IDRC and CMI series. A chemical engineer by training, and entering university at the age of 15, he was a pharmaceutical researcher for years before he decided to branch off. His automotive creations have appeared in numerous films, television shows, toys and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911</span> Sports car produced by Porsche

The Porsche 911 model series is a family of two-door, high performance rear-engine sports cars, introduced in September 1964 by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. Now in its eighth generation, all 911s have a rear-mounted flat-six engine, and usually 2+2 seating, except for special 2-seater variants. Originally, 911s had air-cooled engines, and torsion bar suspension, but the 911 has been continuously enhanced, and evolved across generations. Though the 911 core concept has remained largely unchanged, water-cooled engines were introduced with the 996 series in 1998, and front and rear suspension have been replaced by Porsche-specific MacPherson suspension up front, and independent multi-link rear suspension.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Top Secret (company)</span> Japanese automobile tuner and parts manufacturer

Top Secret Co., Ltd. is a Japanese automobile tuner and parts manufacturer. The company was founded by Japanese automotive engineer and driver, Kazuhiko “Smokey” Nagata.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porsche 911 (992)</span> Eighth generation of the Porsche 911

The Porsche 992 is the eighth and current generation of the Porsche 911 sports car, which was introduced at the Porsche Experience Center in Los Angeles on 27 November 2018.

The Marsien is a sports car produced by Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH based on the Porsche 992 Turbo S.

References

  1. "9ff — Autoblog". Autoblog.com. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  2. "9ff cars". Top Speed. Archived from the original on 2010-06-25. Retrieved 2010-07-03.
  3. "9ff Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH - Best technology for the best performance - Products". 9ff.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-27. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  4. Nick, By (2008-03-25). "First Drive: Porsche 9ff GT9 review (2008 model) - MSN Cars UK". Cars.uk.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  5. "SpeedART Declares Bankruptcy, Blames it on Porsche Lawsuit, 9ff Also Files for Insolvency". Carscoops. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  6. "Why are so many German tuning houses going bust?". Autocar. 2013-09-20. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  7. Phillips, Drew. "9ff proves the GT9 is stupid fast, tops 253 mph". Autoblog . Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  8. Nick, By (2008-03-25). "First Drive: Porsche 9ff GT9 review (2008 model) - MSN Cars UK". Cars.uk.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  9. "9ff speeds into Essen with Speedster-inspired Speed9". Autoblog . Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  10. "Pics Aplenty: 9ff Speed9 takes Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio to the next level". Autoblog . Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  11. "Video: 9ff TR 1000 reaches 391.7 km/h at Papenburg test track". Autoblog . Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  12. "9ff GTurbo mods Porsche GT3 up to 1,000 horsepower". Autoblog . Retrieved 2019-07-02.
  13. "9ff Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH - Best technology for the best performance - Willkommen bei 9ff". 9ff.de. Retrieved 2013-10-20.

51°31′57″N7°37′25″E / 51.5324°N 7.6236°E / 51.5324; 7.6236