Viewed from 2020 the Ford Racing Puma formula looks perfectly devised for commercial disaster - followed at some point by bonafide classic status. Because, at the turn of the millennium, this was a Puma massively more expensive than a standard 1.7 (but not all that much quicker), better to drive than standard only if the right situation arose, and lacking sufficient clout across the board to take on its rivals at £23k.
Two decades later, though, and the Puma is an Imperial Blue fast Ford; a limited production one at that, with input from Tickford (cue wistful Capri yearning) and some proper old school tuning in the form of cams, inlet tweaks and a big exhaust. It's also fantastically good looking, the beefed-up bodywork and wider tracks working wonders, getting rarer by the week and carrying the special status of being the only one. Unlike an ST or RS, there was only ever one Racing Puma, making it fairly remarkable in the fast Ford history.
The original plan, as you may well recall, was to make 1,000 Racing Pumas, with 500 going to Germany having been given their Racing makeover at Tickford. In the end, with buyers having recoiled at the £22,750 asking price - when an Elise cost £22,995, don't forget - just the 500 UK cars were made. Even then, not all of them found customers, and Racing Pumas were distributed amongst senior Ford managers.
That's a shame because the idea was sound. Brilliant though the standard Puma was, it delivered a fairly harmless kind of fun: not all that fast, and fairly forgiving. Creating a Puma with more edge was a great idea, particularly with new hot hatches emerging like the Clio 172 - but the execution wasn't quite there. The Racing Puma was arguably a little too special in some areas (how it looked, what it cost) and not in others (performance, most notably) to be a viable competitor. £23k for a 155hp small coupe would be a tough sell now, leave alone in 2000...
As we've alluded to, though, time has been kind to the Racing Puma. It still looks superb, it still drives beautifully, it still surely benefits from there not being an equivalent fast Fiesta of the time. When a Racing featured back in 2014, the message was pretty clear: the cars had been languishing at around £5,000 for a while, and surely couldn't stay there - for all the reasons listed above.
And so it has proven. Back then, £5,500 bought you an 84,000-mile Racing Puma. In 2020, you'll need £16,995 for one with 93,000 miles. The warning signs were there! The car in question is number 250/500, and gleams under showroom lights; like any Puma, however, you'll need to check for rust. And then check some more, before getting an expert to check as well.
The advert states there's "great investment potential" in this Racing Puma, which seems optimistic given how much values have already risen and with a recession looming. Still, nobody ever truly knows where used car values are actually going - least of all at a time like this. It is worth noting, moreover, that the Puma still faces those rivals from 2000 as a used purchase. A Subaru Impreza Turbo would have cost you about the same then; while the limited edition cars are now megabucks, a regular Impreza remains available for £5k. If you can find one, a Honda Integra Type R from back then is about the only thing front-wheel drive that's more exciting than a Puma, and well worth the outlay. The money buys a nice Elise, too...
No prospective buyer is going to be short of options, in other words. But if there's one thing you can rely on it's the UK's fascination with all things fast and Ford badged. And with the Puma badge now frittered away, there's no reason to think the nation's coveting of the recent past is going to take a backward step. Especially as the Racing model deserves every accolade.
SPECIFICATION | FORD RACING PUMA
Engine: 1,679cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 155@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 119@4,500rpm
MPG: 34.7
CO2: NA
First registered: 2000
Recorded mileage: 93,000
Price new: £22,750
Yours for: £16,995
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