Ruf RT12 R

[Keith_G]

OK @Chris Stacey or @Dragos Haba or anyone else who has driven this car (rear wheel drive version)? You are the Gurus of AC cars so I am hoping you or anyone else can tell me if this car is as hard to drive as it seems (loads of fun but hard to keep the tail from wagging, even for a rear engine car!!). I have been driving it at Spa to test it out just because I know the lap times pretty well here.

I drove it for a while with the default setup to set a baseline but was having such trouble getting it around the track in a reasonable time that I looked at the setup and realized there was 0 wing set for default. No wonder it was tail happy. So I did some setup work and got it to a reasonable place but still can't get any better than a 2:42 lap time.

So my real question is, would you drive it please and let me know how far off a good lap I am or is this car just that difficult!
I was comparing it to the other GT3 cars to see how close it was with the mistaken notion that it is also a GT3 race car. After looking at the few options you have on setups I assume the actual GT3 car is much different but I could be wrong. I drove the same car (GT3 version) in R3E at Spa and can easily get a 2:24 lap so something is way off somewhere. ( I realize they are different games but are pretty similar in lap times)
Let me know what you think. Thanks!

 

[Chris]

Hey Keith,

I haven't driven this car in a while actually, but I can assure you that it's not even remotely close to any spec of GT.

Basically, it's a 700bhp Porsche road car. So when you have that amount of power (and torque!) going through the rear wheels, naturally the thing is going to be a handful.

My biggest tip would be - and this applies to both the RWD and AWD - don't over drive it. The fastest lap times come when you're driving really really smoothly. This is because you want to try and focus on getting the best exit from every corner as possible so that you can maximize the amount of power this thing has down the following straight.

Driving closer to the limit during the corners may give you a higher mid-corner speed, but you'll suffer massively down the straights because you're often compromising your exit speed.

 

[Si]

Hi Keith!

Basically what @Chris Stacey said! follow his advice! the car also has tc as standard....so why not use it? Having read your post I thought I would have a go. First I drove the awd version and did a 2.37, then tried the RWD model and did a 2.36, the RWD version is a hoot! great car!! I bet @Dragos Haba would beat my times hands down, but its the enjoyment of self improvement that your after!

FYI the RSR world record is a 2.35.9 so your within 103% of that. just follow Chris's tips and practice and you will begin to shave time off! keep us posted on your progress!

EDIT: I had wings at 2f and 8r

 

[Keith_G]

Much thanks to both of you, Simon and Chris! Will definitely give it some more time and certainly enjoying the driving, just wanted to know if I was so far off that I should give up ;0 I'm pretty sure I'm over driving it Chris (since I do that with most cars) which results in some pretty severe understeer. I will give it a go with slow entry and faster exit to see how it does. Using the brakes, throttle and opposite lock to get around corners makes it a hoot to drive but probably doesn't really improve my time

Thanks again to both of you for the quick reply and will get back to some practice now that Christmas is over and I can focus on important things like Sim racing!

 

[Tomas Torasen]

Yeah this is basically a road car with a ridiculous amount of power. The grip level is way lower than any GT car.
It's a really cool concept of a car that I like the idea of, but when driving it I just cant take it. I dont know if it's due to AC's bad representation of sense of speed or just the car, but it's like shooting a rocket on the straights and then braking like hell going soooo slow through the corners due to lack of grip, it's just not even fun for me. I wish I liked it though.

 

[JoelGL]

Yeah this is basically a road car with a ridiculous amount of power. The grip level is way lower than any GT car.
It's a really cool concept of a car that I like the idea of, but when driving it I just cant take it. I dont know if it's due to AC's bad representation of sense of speed or just the car, but it's like shooting a rocket on the straights and then braking like hell going soooo slow through the corners due to lack of grip, it's just not even fun for me. I wish I liked it though.

Talking about being a rocket at straights, and sooo slow through the corners, it reminds me of the V8's. Like boats too at the corners

 

[Tomas Torasen]

Talking about being a rocket at straights, and sooo slow through the corners, it reminds me of the V8's. Like boats too at the corners

Yeah but those are more alive somehow and fun to drive, it's a challenge. The RUF is mainly wooooosh->slooooow->wooooosh->sloooooow and not much more. But perhaps it's mostly a matter of taste.

 

[Terry Rock]

All...and I mean all rear-engined Porsche models, require massive attachments and the ability to resist lifting off the throttle during upset. It is fun though. Karting set you up for it.

 

[Keith_G]

Yeah this is basically a road car with a ridiculous amount of power. The grip level is way lower than any GT car.
It's a really cool concept of a car that I like the idea of, but when driving it I just cant take it. I dont know if it's due to AC's bad representation of sense of speed or just the car, but it's like shooting a rocket on the straights and then braking like hell going soooo slow through the corners due to lack of grip, it's just not even fun for me. I wish I liked it though.

My feelings too but I just drive it like a drift car and have fun trying to see how far I can make it around the corners without loosing it Although there aren't many options to set up I have been playing with the toe and camber to see what works best and it does make a considerable difference. Like Si I have settled on a front wing of 2 and a rear wing of 7 or 8. Seems to make it a little more stable and more fun to drive but still not your average drive around Spa! As for the sense of speed, I agree that it just isn't there in AC (using triple screens and 32 FOV) but for this car I just take it out of cockpit view and use the bumper view to give it a much speedier feel.

 

[Blimey]

The RUF isn't a GT3 car, why do people still think that it is..

 

[Keith_G]

The RUF isn't a GT3 car, why do people still think that it is..

In my case just confused !,
Since few companies seem to be able to get an official license to represent Porsche cars in their sims they often use the Ruf cars to take there place. In R3E which I also own and enjoy, they have a Ruf RT 12R which is in race livery and made to GT3 spec. (I assume to add another car to the GT3 class for racing). When I saw the Ruf RT12R in AC I just assumed it was to GT3 spec also (to add another car to their GT3 races) but later saw that it has 700bhp instead of 500 and also wasn't set up as a race car. Since there is a Porsche 997 GT3 car in the actual series it would make sense, but no such luck.

For us casual race fans there have been many changes in the GT series over the last 20 years and it leaves us a bit confused about what is GT1, GT2, GT3, GT4, GTE, LMS, LMP, GTD, Blancpain sprint, Blancpain Endurance, Super GT, and so on Nothing sinister here; just ill informed.

 

[HypoToad]

Yeah this is basically a road car with a ridiculous amount of power. The grip level is way lower than any GT car.
It's a really cool concept of a car that I like the idea of, but when driving it I just cant take it. I dont know if it's due to AC's bad representation of sense of speed or just the car, but it's like shooting a rocket on the straights and then braking like hell going soooo slow through the corners due to lack of grip, it's just not even fun for me. I wish I liked it though.

Like a jet powered bar of soap. If this car really acted that way IRL would anyone buy it?

 

[Tomas Torasen]

Well the acceleration would probably thrill the hell out of anyone, with that kind of power. Those forces we dont feel in the sim and the sense of speed imo is quite bad in AC, which leaves not so much else in this car, imo.

 

[Blimey]

In my case just confused !,
Since few companies seem to be able to get an official license to represent Porsche cars in their sims they often use the Ruf cars to take there place. In R3E which I also own and enjoy, they have a Ruf RT 12R which is in race livery and made to GT3 spec. (I assume to add another car to the GT3 class for racing). When I saw the Ruf RT12R in AC I just assumed it was to GT3 spec also (to add another car to their GT3 races) but later saw that it has 700bhp instead of 500 and also wasn't set up as a race car. Since there is a Porsche 997 GT3 car in the actual series it would make sense, but no such luck.

For us casual race fans there have been many changes in the GT series over the last 20 years and it leaves us a bit confused about what is GT1, GT2, GT3, GT4, GTE, LMS, LMP, GTD, Blancpain sprint, Blancpain Endurance, Super GT, and so on Nothing sinister here; just ill informed.

the thing is, the cars that other games license with RUF aren't real cars, Kunos actually chose to license real cars.

 

[Kristaps Dzelzgalvis]

It's a really cool concept of a car that I like the idea of, but when driving it I just cant take it. I dont know if it's due to AC's bad representation of sense of speed or just the car, but it's like shooting a rocket on the straights and then braking like hell going soooo slow through the corners due to lack of grip, it's just not even fun for me. I wish I liked it though.

RUF's cornering speeds and braking performance are on pare with the 458/mp4-12c
So no problems with the grip levels.

My advice for setup - general goal is to maximise the front end grip and loosen up the rear.
27psi front tires 31 rear, max camber at the front and -0.02 toe out, default camber at the rear and +0.02 toe in, 4 wing at the front, 3 or 2 at the rear, to make it more lively and rotate better.

 

[Keith_G]

My advice for setup - general goal is to maximise the front end grip and loosen up the rear.
27psi front tires 31 rear, max camber at the front and -0.02 toe out, default camber at the rear and +0.02 toe in, 4 wing at the front, 3 or 2 at the rear, to make it more lively and rotate better.

Thanks Kristaps, I have managed to get into the 2:38's but still looking for a bit more before I move on so I will give your setup advice a go. That was the general direction I was heading but didn't go quite that far. Thanks and I'll let you know if it works for me even though I'm pretty sure I'm more limited by my driving than by my setup but every little bit helps!! Thanks again

 

[Keith_G]

Thanks to everyone who has helped. Managed to get somewhat consistent at 2:37's with the RWD version on full grip at SPA. This is the setup (file attached) that I found most balanced and easiest to be consistent with.
I'm sure that it can be tweaked somewhat but the car has very limited adjustments. Thanks to @Kristaps Dzelzgalvis for pointing me in the right direction with some great advise.

 

[Si]

@Keith_G in your honour @Matheus Machado has created a club event you might be interested in! here

 

[Stiggus Maximus]

Due to the RR layout, you can't drive this car like you would drive a 458, or P1. The goal here is definitely to be smooth. Here are some things I learned:

1. Don't shift at redline. If you look at the power graph by the time you pass 7000RPM you're losing lots of power. I try to shift at around 6700-6800RPM.

2.On the slow speed corners/hairpins try to go up a gear to prevent the boost killing you. This will make power delivery coming out of a corner much more linear and smooth and as we all know smooth is fast.

3. Use the RR layout to your advantage. Since most of the weight is at the back, it's easy to induce a small 4-wheel drift by letting off the throttle then quickly getting back on. Use this to keep the nose tucked in on long sweeping corners (like Pouhon, Blanchimont).

I was running consistent 2:36's then after some practice laps and after I learned these three 'tricks' I was able to crack the 2:33 barrier:

Here's my setup attached. I didn't do much, front max camber, a bit of downforce, less fuel and bumped up the tire pressures.

 

[Kristaps Dzelzgalvis]

Thx for the setup Stig!
I just started hotlapping this combo, after 3 laps I am stuck at 2:36
Will try your setup
Agree that smoothest way is the fastest way, it's so easy to overdrive and get frustrated.
Edit:
I am already in the 2:34's, just need to work on that smoothness.