In global markets, the Ford Puma sits above the EcoSport
American automaker Ford Motor Company offers a range of crossovers and SUVs across the globe. In India, the choices are limited to the EcoSport subcompact crossover and Endeavour mid-size SUV. Major markets such as the US and UK have a much wider portfolio of UVs in comparison. If we take the UK market, the Ford Puma is a relatively new name. It made its global debut back in June 2019 and is not available in American markets (USA, Canada and Mexico).
The Puma might ‘never’ come to our market but the newly-established alliance between Ford India and Mahindra & Mahindra promises a lot. Under the partnership, a new compact crossover (or “mid-size SUV” in Indian books) will arrive in the near future to rival popular choices such as the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. It is based on Ford’s VX-772 platform and will employ Mahindra’s mStallion petrol engine.
In addition to this, the joint venture will introduce the next-gen Ford EcoSport, a ‘B-platform SUV’ as well as a ‘C-platform SUV’. Every product coming under the initiative will have a respective Ford and Mahindra counterpart on the Indian market. Export markets are also in consideration and hence, Ford might borrow some formula applied to the Euro-spec Puma.
Brazilian digital artist Kleber Silva has imagined the Ford Puma in an all-out off-roader avatar. Dubbed ‘Ford Puma Raptor’, the render takes the lower portion of the real-life Ford Puma subcompact crossover to its very extreme (even more than a typical Ford Raptor model).
Something of this sort may never come into existence but it is interesting to see how digital renders can give new life to a familiar product. Prominent highlights include extended wheel arches, off-road-ready bumpers with silver skid plate; all-terrain tyres, raised suspension, roof-mounted auxiliary lamps, etc.
There are some minor render-packaging issues (especially around the rear wheels) but the overall work makes up for that. Over the months, we have shared multiple works from Kleber’s KDesign AG such as the 2022MY Honda HR-V, an all-new version of a product that almost hit the Indian market.
The UK-spec Ford Puma comes in three trims (Titanium, ST-Line and ST-Line X) at a starting price of GBP 21,640 or INR 20.18 lakh ex-showroom. It is offered with three powertrain choices based on Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol mill (phased out in India ahead of BS6 emission norms). In its highest mild-hybrid format, the 2020MY Ford Puma churns out 153bhp and 240Nm. An additional 50Nm of torque is supplied by the 48V integrated starter system.
