BUYER’S GUIDE PUMA

Ford’s modern classic coupé runs rings around its contemporaries thanks to fine handling, a rev-happy motor and sharp styling. Here’s what you need to know if you’re in the market for one.

Classic Ford

With the RS Cosworth and XR models relegated to history, the late 1990s weren’t the happiest of times for fast Ford fans, but there was a glimmer of hope when the swoopy Puma broke cover in February 1997. Cynics saw little more than a Fiesta-based, Vauxhall Tigra rival that was rushed through in record time — advanced computer design seeing the Puma evolve from a scamp to the finished article in only 135 days — but they were soon silenced when they got behind the wheel. While the Puma might have shared the underpinnings of the baby Ford, the Fiesta happened to be one of the best handling in its class. Better still, Ford’s engineers didn’t just rely on the competence of the existing chassis, choosing to stiffen the rear…

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Classic Ford (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 2024

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