Ford’s crossover family has grown to include another member: the Puma. The new
model slots between the EcoSport and Kuga and has resurrected a moniker
previously used on a Fiesta-based coupe.
When it goes on
sale at the end of the year, the Puma will be powered by a couple of
mild-hybrid powertrains. Both of them combine a 1.0-liter, EcoBoost petrol
engine with a 11.5 kW belt-driven, integrated starter/generator, and produce
125 PS and 155 PS.
However, it’s the
rumored ST variant that e’re most interested in, as it will reportedly get the
oily bits of the Fiesta ST. Believed to have been spied testing at the
Nurburgring last month, the Puma ST is expected to become one of the hottest
vehicles in the small SUV segment. The 1.5-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder
puts out a healthy 200 PS and 290 Nm of torque in
the hot hatch, allowing it to accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds
and up to a 232 km/h top speed.
The Puma ST has inevitably, ended up on the radar of certain rendering artists, with Bekim
Ajvazi already imagining how it might look like. The changes are very discreet,
actually, and include the addition of the ST badges and a new pair of wheels.
Nevertheless, we expect the actual model to get restyled bumpers and a lowered
ground clearance, too, along with some trim updates inside.
