One of the most iconic sights in London is Tower Bridge, a landmark that is as much a part of the capital as the city is a part of it. But did you know that back when the world was still in black and white, people didn’t like it all that much – especially the cost – and these people included one Queen Victoria. Time has passed and perspectives have shifted, so much so that the bridge is the monument that it is today. Something else hoping for a historical reprieve is the Ford Racing Puma.
If you say Ford Puma in 2024, you’d be forgiven for conjuring images of a rather well-rounded compact SUV. However, nearly a quarter of a century ago, Puma was a natty little sports coupe spawned from the Ford Fiesta of its day. A more eager Racing Puma followed, and while well received, it cost a fortune. In fact, so pricey was this model versus its rivals that Ford’s initial production run of 1,000 was cut in half. Has the passage of time and growing cult status of Ford’s feline earned it pride of place in the back-catalogue.
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Striking quite the pose on the Tarmac, a pristine Racing Puma in iconic Imperial Blue is idling. It’s compact dimensions are exaggerated by swollen wheel arches, some 100mm wider than standard, that give it an hourglass silhouette. The flairs shroud a track that is some 70mm wider at the front and 90mm at the rear, with lighter 17-inch alloy wheels and potent Alcon brakes in each corner. For such a small car, its road presence is huge and it’s all down to the talents of famed bodybuilders Tickford.
The interior is dominated by a set of blue Alcantara-clad sports seats that hug you tight, however, the rest of the 2+2 cabin will be very familiar to those driving lesser Pumas – not something owners of this model enjoy hearing, and a symptom for this project’s costs in period being reigned in.
It’s a similar story with the naturally aspirated 1.7-litre engine under the bonnet producing just 153bhp. While developed in partnership with Yamaha and hosting enhanced cam profiles, it’s scarcely boosted performance for the cash put people off. Bigger changes to suspension and a boisterous rally-inspired exhaust are more akin to what enthusiasts might expect.
There’s certainly some promising ingredients under the bulging bodywork, but is the Ford Racing Puma as half-backed as potential buyers feared back in the day? Not if the enthusiastic surge of revs as the car eagerly accelerates is anything to go by! The needle races to the red like a greyhound chasing a rabbit with the only interruption being when you slot a new cog in place via the deliciously mechanical 5-speed manual gearbox. Each shift is short, precise, and utterly joyous, unleashing a fresh frenetic energy with every flick of the wrist. This Puma might not be all that fast – avidly dashing from 0-62mph in 7.8 second – but it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face with that crackling exhaust note sniggering along with you.
What it lacks in grunt, it makes up for in poise and sheer grip through the corners. The communicative steering informs your fingertips while its masterful chassis keeps you in the loop via your backside. Aggressively tipping the Puma into a corner reveals the car to be true to its name, cornering like a cat with effortless precision. Squeeze those responsive brakes hard, feel the weight shift forward, and the car simply pivots around the apex of any given country road. Its firm suspension can be a little jarring over high frequency bumps, but this is a fair trade given the athletic body control on offer. It’s a car that thrives when being driven hard, and thanks to not possessing Porsche-killing power, you can enjoy every last rev without losing your licence.
If you were a buyer back at the turn of the millennium expecting some sort of rally homologation, you’d have no doubt been disappointed, especially at the price premium over the standard car. However, as a time traveller from a future where cars are devoid of feel, are the size of buses, and all increasingly focused on winning games of Top Trumps, the Ford Racing Puma is a refreshing elixir. Here is a car that thrives when pushed on challenging roads, but doesn’t need an ego-boosting power output. There’s a purity to the Puma that many new cars could learn from.
