Every now and then, what we like to call a boutique manufacturer drops a rad concept car with more than just hype in mind.

It’s the case of the RUF Rodeo Concept, which we’re absolutely sure was concocted to sample the potential buyer’s interest in an off-road-going sports car that retains the classic Porsche 911 shape we all love and crave but is fitted to perform in mediums where smooth asphalt roads are unheard of.

Can a Porsche 911 go off-roading?

Yes, it can. It can do it in bone stock form, of course, but that would end up badly for the car, obviously. But yes, a Porsche 911 can go off-roading when properly equipped. Mind you, RUF’s Rodeo Concept is not the first 911 that’s dressed to impress on rough terrain. Remember the $375,000 Porsche 911 Carrera Safari? It was a prime example of how a handful of smart mods can turn a zippy sportscar into a fearless off-roader.

RUF’s take on an off-road Porsche 911 draws inspiration from both the car and the fashion world. RUF tells us the concept was influenced by the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance, Ralph Lauren’s 2011 Western Collection, and Texas-born billionaire Phillip Sarofim, who also happens to be Avril Lavigne’s ex-boyfriend.

What powers the RUF Rodeo Concept?

Well, that’s up to you. Or the buyer, should RUF decide to assemble and sell the Rodeo (which will likely be a limited-edition car in the first place). For starters, the car uses the same carbon-fiber monocoque chassis that underpins the likes of CTR Anniversary and SCR, but it was fitted with a four-wheel-drive setup to help the car in its new endeavors. What’s more, those tires are different than what you’d normally get on a RUF – they’re larger and of the all-terrain ilk. Plus, the suspension was softened up and allowed a longer travel.

Here comes the juicy part. RUF says it can fit their SCR’s 4.0-liter, naturally-aspirated flat-six inside the Rodeo, so that will hand you out 510 horsepower and 470 Newton-meters of torque (roughly 346 pound-feet) to play with via a six-speed manual transmission. In the SCR, the engine offers a top speed of 199 mph (320 kph), but you won’t need that on rough terrain.

RUF SCR specifications

Engine

4.0-liter, naturally-aspirated flat-six

Horsepower

510 HP

Torque

346 LB-FT

Top Speed

199 mph


What’s more, RUF can also provide a turbocharged version of the 4.0-liter straight-six. This should make for a more appropriate choice for heavy, performance-dictated off-roading as you want torque from as low as possible when tackling adverse terrain and that’s something turbocharging can unlock.

Just to get a quick taste of what could be in store for the Rodeo, the RUF Turbo R uses a turbo’ed and air-cooled, flat-six, 3.6-liter unit that’s good for 490 horsepower and 650 Newton-meters (479 pound-feet) of torque. Sounds just about right to us.