Ford Puma – Before Becoming A Crossover

2 November 2020 Redazione Budget Cars

Produced in Germany from 1997 to 2002, the first incarnation of the Puma was quite different from the crossover that Ford introduced last year. A mirror of those years when SUVs and all smaller versions still had to enter the automotive panorama, Ford unveiled a small 2-door, 2+2-seater coupe based on the contemporary generation of the Fiesta. What differed, however, was the ability to combine the practicality and simplicity of a large production model with the design that would refine future models of the Blue Oval.

The Puma thus displayed soft lines that found their apex in the beautiful front composed of sinuous optical groups that recall the eyes of a feline ready to leap forward towards the road. The Puma had an engine developed in collaboration with Yamaha, an all-new body, stiffened suspension and a wider track than the Fiesta, reduced gear ratios and a still fresh look, after so many years. It was also available with 4 different engines, including a 90hp 1.4, a 103hp 1.6 VCT, the exclusive 123hp 1.7 VCT and a more powerful 153hp 1.7 VCT used on the Ford Racing Puma, the most performing version produced in a limited edition of only 500 pieces and exclusively for the UK market.

Weighing just over a ton (1,174 kg), the Ford Racing Puma (also called FRP) accelerated from 0 to 100 kph in 7.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 202 per hour and surprising for an excellent drivability even in tight mixed conditions, ignoring the fact of being just front-wheels driven. A pity that in 2002 Ford stopped its production, definitively replacing the Puma with the StreetKa, an equally innovative model, but which lost that character and image of a small sports car that Ford had managed to impress in this one. In 2019 a new generation arrives (CLICK HERE FOR OUR TEST DRIVE), completely new and just as surprising in its own way, while a performance version named Puma ST has recently been announced, with a more markedly sporty body and a 3-cylinder capable to deliver 200 horsepower. We can’t wait to jump on board and taste it firsthand.