Porsche’s chronology can roughly be split in two, aligning with the 911 sports car’s air- and water-cooled eras. The changeover happened for the 1998 model year, and there’s a dedicated fanbase for the earlier air-cooled cars, prizing their unique sound and character relative to their more modern descendants. They also have specific maintenance needs, and Porsche-adjacent automaker RUF wants to help owners of classic P-cars keep their engines running well with a specific oil formulation.
Developed in conjunction with Motul, Heritage Motor Oil 20W-50 is the result. Using RUF’s expertise in air-cooled engineering and Motul’s knowledge of automotive fluids, Heritage Motor Oil could help keep classic 911s and 356s on the road well into the future.
The Company’s Classic Roots Are On Full Display
RUF Motul Heritage Motor OilRUF and Motul
Alois Ruf Sr. established the company that would bear his name in 1939. That first iteration of RUF was initially a repair shop, but the patriarch eventually began building specialized tour buses. A chance encounter in 1963 with a wrecked (and eventually restored) 356 put Porsches on the family’s radar, and in 1975, Alois Junior built his first RUF-tuned 911. Since then, the company has become an automaker in its own right, engineering specialized sports cars with their own VINs that share little with Porsches save their iconic silhouette.
And now, RUF is getting into the mass market with the new Heritage Motor Oil, designed for air-cooled engines from the 1950s through the 1970s. Motul gave the lubricants moderate detergent qualities, which means they’re safe for elastomer gaskets. The 20W-50 formulation prevents oil consumption and provides good temperature control in hard running. And thick film resistance ensures that even after long periods of storage, the engine starts up with adequate lubrication.
RUF Motul Heritage Motor OilRUF and Motul
RUF and Motul’s Heritage Motor Oil will debut this weekend at the Goodwood Revival. The brands will showcase the oil alongside a highly original Porsche 356 owned by the Ruf family – appropriate given the company’s history.
Why Do Classic Porsches Need Special Oil?
RUF Motul Heritage Motor OilRUF and Motul
Modern cars are manufactured with much tighter tolerances that inherently reduce engine wear, and as a result, thinner oil is desirable because it allows engines to run a bit more efficiently. But classic cars – including air-cooled 356s and 911s – require a more viscous lubricant, such as the 20W-50 Heritage Motor Oil, which clings to moving parts better and improves protection as temperatures rise. That’s doubly helpful considering air-cooled Porsches can be sensitive to heat transfer.
Furthermore, although current engines may benefit from the added protective quality and higher detergent levels of modern synthetic oil, some of the additives can be harmful to the old-fashioned rubber gaskets and seals found in classics.
RUF Motul Heritage Motor OilRUF and Motul
Unfortunately, we’re not in a position to sample the fruits of the RUF and Motul partnership – somehow, no one on the CarBuzz team owns an air-cooled Porsche. We’d be interested to learn from an independent third party if Heritage Motor Oil actually does what it says on the tin – literally, since Motul supplies it in a vintage-style container.
Base Trim Engine
3L H-6 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
PDK 8-speed auto-shift manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
388 HP @6500 RPM
Base Trim Torque
331 lb.-ft. @ 1950 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
18/25/21 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Millennials and Generation Y, many of whom crave an analog driving experience, have been behind the recent rise in popularity for classics (especially Porsches). And while the inner cynic might suspect that Motul and RUF are simply cashing in on a trend, the two companies have a depth of knowledge about automotive fluids and air-cooled engines that probably means most of their claims about Heritage Motor Oil are legitimate.
Keeping classic Porsches on the road is a noble goal, after all.
Source: RUF
