Matt BirdIf the classification of modern classics was an objective assessment, the original Ford Puma would surely be worth a small fortune. Think of all the cars that are collectable now, then compare their attributes to the little Ford’s: here’s a car that was popular in period and now much rarer, powered by a revvy 16-valve engine, paired only with a wonderful manual gearbox and blessed with supreme handling. The Puma looked good and didn’t - still doesn’t - cost an awful lot to run.
It’s all very strange, if very good news for those that actually want to buy old cars and drive them. Yes, we’re a hot hatch-obsessed nation, but then look at how much some of the very last Ford Capris - made in the hot hatch’s '80s pomp - are now valued at. Fast Ford pocket rockets much less nice to drive than the Puma cost huge amounts more in vaguely comparable condition.
That there’s rust mentioned in the MOT history from a few years back feels like saying words have vowels - it’ll inevitably be there at some point. But it was seemingly addressed in 2018, and the tests before and since have been good. All the interior switches look decent, as do the seat bolsters and famously scratchable gear knob - all the stuff that wears in cheap cars has lasted really well.
And it’s £2,995. Three grand for one of Ford’s best-handling small cars ever made. Perhaps it doesn’t have the image or reputation of some of the Blue Oval icons, but there’s no doubting what a brilliant little driver’s car the Puma was. When there’s seemingly such a dearth of affordable, interesting, modern classic cars out there, it looks better than it ever has. It’s not modified, it’s seemingly not had any paint, and the last MOT was advisory-free . For little more than Shed money.
The value on offer with a Puma becomes clear when you look at other fast Fords available for anywhere near the same money. A Fiesta ST at this money will have 100,000 miles or more; a Focus ST will either be the uninspiring 2.0-litre 170 or the turbo 2.5 with more than a dozen owners. Even the Mondeo ST220, forever the bargain of the bunch, is hard to come by at this sort of cash.