Nestled within downtown LA’s arts district sits Aloisa Ruf’s first solo art exhibit named “Initium.” Translated from Latin, it means “from the beginning.” The show comprises photographs captured by Ruf, showcasing the culture surrounding automotive enthusiasm and her famed family brand of the same name.
Aside from launching her first exhibit, Ruf partnered with Period Correct, a clothing brand that draws heavy inspiration from motorsport and vintage vehicles. The two came together to create a collection that includes hats, shirts, and jackets, set to launch online soon. We got an early look at the collaboration this past Wednesday at the show’s launch in DTLA.
Two vehicles sat in the open-air exhibit space alongside the clothing and photographs on display. The first is the RUF Tribute revealed last week during Monterey Car Week. Presented to gauge potential customer interest, the Tribute features a new air-cooled twin-turbocharged flat-six developing 550 horsepower. It was built in-house by RUF and fitted in the body of an SCR.
During the show, a quick chat with Alois Ruf Jr. confirmed that given the high customer interest in the Tribute, he’d work to finalize its development, hoping it would eventually go into production. Should he achieve this, it would become the first new flat-six in decades.
While the Tribute looks towards the carmaker’s future, a RUF CTR2 known as’ White Pegasus’ reminds us of the brand’s past. According to Classic Driver, it was commissioned in 1996 and is the only CTR2 to feature a totally stripped-out interior in an attempt to shed as much weight as possible. Despite these savings, its 3.6-liter turbocharged flat-six still develops over 520 hp.
Given that both Period Correct and Aloisa Ruf draw inspiration for their work from motorsport and vintage cars, their collaboration feels natural. A strong passion for all things automotive was present at the show, evident from the photographs to the clothing and even the cars on display.