Martin Whitaker, Director of Ford European Motorsport

"The Puma rally car concept is designed to satisfy the needs of a diverse range of motorsport activities worldwide, from a cost-effective entry level for young drivers to World Rally technology for the more experienced competitor. Puma's image is one of high performance and style and we want to transfer those qualities to the competition vehicle. It also gives Ford the perfect opportunity to support the FIAs proposed junior category, from where future World Rally Champions may come.The development of the Puma rally concept is yet another example of how our mainstream and motorsport facilities work together All the development work on the Puma rally car was carried out at Ford's Research and Engineering Centre at Dunton. With the 1.7-litre version already homologated, development of the Puma concept will continue throughout 1998 with the aim of homologating the Junior and Kit Rally variants in the third quarter of the year By then they will be fully developed for competition and offer a very attractive and cost effective package for new and existing Ford competitors."

PUMA KIT CAR

PUMA JUNIOR 1400cc

The Puma Junior Rally Car will offer young up-and-coming drivers a step-up from the entry level KA into competitive rallying. The car will be powered by a 1.4-litre version of the Zetec-SE 16 valve lightweight aluminium engine, offering 150 bhp, and all technical features will be compatible with the current FIA 1.4-litre 'kit car' regulations. All three categories of Puma enjoy a number of common features and offer upgrade from one category to another as the budget and aspirations of the competitor change. Amendments to the front aerodynamics accommodate a new front splitter to give increased front end downforce, whilst a rear aerofoil increases rear downforce and stability at high speed.

PUMA KIT 1600cc AND 2000cc

The Puma Rally Kit is aimed at drivers with more experience who wish to progress to a higher level of competition with a technically advanced performance car available at a competitive price. Based on the 1.7-litre Zetec-SE engine, this 'Formula 2' rally car will have two 'kit car' derivatives, placing it in the 1.6-litre class and, later in 1998, the 2-litre class. Power output in the 1.6-litre category will be up to 22Obhp All three categories of Puma enjoy a number of common features and offer upgrade from one category to another as the budget and aspirations of the competitor change. Amendments to the front aerodynamics accommodate a new front splitter to give increased front end downforce, whilst a rear aerofoil increases rear downforce and stability at high speed.

PUMA EVOLUTION

The Puma Evolution is aimed at a variety of non-homologated categories and special events, including ice-racing, hillclimbs and certain national rallies. Incorporating Group A Escort and Escort World Rally Car four-wheel drive running gear - as used by Ford in the FIA World Rally Championship - this most purposeful Puma can be powered by a number of engine options, including the proposed turbocharged 2-litre Zetec or a Duratec V6 unit. Both can produce in excess of 3OObhp, depending on the specific event technical regulations. All three categories of Puma enjoy a number of common features and offer upgrade from one category to another as the budget and aspirations of the competitor change. Amendments to the front aerodynamics accommodate a new front splitter to give increased front end downforce, whilst a rear aerofoil increases rear downforce and stability at high speed.

PUMA RALLY CAR TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

PUMA FORMULA3

Engine: Zetec SE 16 valve. 150bhp 1.4 kit car version.

Transmission: 5 speed close ratio in production case.

Brakes: 4 piston motorsport caliper front. production rear.

Suspension: McPherson strut front. twist beam rear with adjustable shock absorbers.

Steering: Standard rack and pinion power assisted.

Wheels: 15 or 16 inch diameter Weight 790kg minimum.

PUMA FORMULA 2

Engine: Zetec SE 16 valve, 200-220 bhp 1.6 kit car version.

Transmission: 6 speed close ratio sequential gearbox with viscous diff.

Brakes: 4 piston motorsport caliper front, 2 piston motorsport rear.

Suspension: Fully adjustable McPherson strut front, group A derivative twist beam with adjustable shock absorbers.

Steering: High ratio rack and pinion, power assisted.

Wheels: 15 or 17 inch diameter Weight 880kg minimum.

PUMA EVOLUTION 4WD

Engine: Escort YB 16 valve turbo, 300 bhp or other.

Transmission: 6 or 7 speed close ratio gearbox with 4 wheel drive.

Brakes: 4,6 or 8 piston motorsport caliper front, 4 piston motorsport rear .

Steering: McPherson strut front, McPherson strut or semi trailing arm rear.

Steering High: ratio rack and pinion, power assisted.

Wheels: 15 or 18 inch diameter.

"In the Puma, Ford has a road car with excellent dynamic qualities," enthuses Alex Cattermole, Business Manager for Ford Motorsport. "It has also captured the public's imagination and so we have a good platform on which to build a motorsport programme. Essentially the Puma Kit-Cars are a commercial project to promote Ford Motorsport and its design and engineering skills. "The 1400 Puma VK14 is entering a new market for us. There are several 'one-make' challenges for cars with a modest performance level, but in open events there isn't anything else available in the 1400 class with the Puma's image, at this price. Puma will be offering people the opportunity to step up a class in rallying with a certain degree of style - but still with modest costs." We wanted to bridge the gap between Ka and the new Focus WRC - which will be available in some form for private teams in a couple of years - but we soon realised this could not be done with a single model", explains Philip Dunabin "We have now defined our 'gap bridger' as a three model range of Puma kit-Cars - the VK14 and VK 16 and the 2-litre model for the year 2000. The cars will share many common features so the buyer of a 1400 model can upgrade to a 1600 without having to change to a different model or brand of car. A menu of products will enable customers to pick and mix depending on how much funding they may have available at a particular time in their career." As part of a dual programme both to promote the Puma kit-cars and continue their development by on-event testing, Ford Motorsport will enter the prototype VK14 and VK16 Pumas on several rallies duing the next 16 months. The cars will make their competition debut in October on the Condroz Rally in Belgium. Debut drivers will be French woman Priscille de Belloy and Sweden's one-time World Champion and Ford test driver Stig Blomqvist. "The new Pumas are exciting cars with a kind nature," comments Blomqvist, "They are easy to drive, give the driver good feedback and are quite forgiving. They have good braking, which builds driver confidence and the ride is surprisingly comfortable. I'm sure they will be ideal for relative newcomers to the sport to learn the art of rallying and display their skills. Initially Ford Motorsport will give priority to delivering Puma Kit-Cars to customers in ready-to-rally form. Keenly priced the components to turn a Puma into a VK14 cost £20,000 and the VK16 - £35,000.

Ford Focus WRC by Giuliano

Che ci fa una Focus su un sito destinato agli amanti delle Puma? La domanda è lecita ma la risposta pure… infatti non tutti sanno che la Puma, inizialmente, doveva essere la vettura di riferimento nei rally per la Ford ma la FIA non la omologò perché la versione di serie da cui derivava era inferiore ai fatidici 4 metri (3,984 per la precisione…). Però venne permesso alla Peugeot di "allungare" la sua 206: vedasi la versione "GT" con muso e coda allungati fino a farle raggiungere i 401 centimetri contro i 384 della normale "GTI"… insomma, venne usato "un metro ma due misure"!!! Così la Ford riversò tutta la sua tecnologia sulla Focus mentre alla Puma venne riservato il compito di auto per allevare i futuri campioni. Attualmente la Puma da rally è infatti omologata in due versioni: la "kit car" di 1400 cc (da circa 155-160 cv) e la più cattiva e performante 1600 (da circa 210-220 cv). Quest'ultima in particolare è una vettura molto "professionale" ed in questo 2001 si è potuto ammirarla nelle manches di Campionato Mondiale riservate alle cosiddette "F3": a tutt'oggi le manca ancora qualcosina in fatto di affidabilità ma la "dura legge del cronometro" dice che è senz'altro la più veloce tra tutte le sue concorrenti!!! Ecco qua sotto 3 foto che ritraggono rispettivamente le Puma "kit car" 1400 e 1600 in azione....

PUMA KIT CAR 1.4

PUMA KIT CAR 1.6

...e per ultima un'immagine che ritrae assieme la Puma e la Focus WRC al rally di Catalunya 2000, dove la prima si impose largamente nella sua classe e la seconda fece l'assoluto nella mani di Colin McRae: immagine, quest'ultima, che riassume in pieno lo stretto legame che, nel bene e nel male delle vicessitudini extra-sportive, accomuna i due modelli. Vediamo quindi di seguito le principali caratteristiche (model year 2000) e le prestazioni della Focus WRC ufficiale testata da Miki Biasion per la rivista "Rallysprint".

Motore e trasmissione: Motore anteriore-trasversale Zetec-E, 4 cilindri in linea - 1990,4 cc - doppio albero a camme con testa in alluminio e 4 valvole per cilindro - iniezione elettronica Ford-Pectel integrata con la centralina Pectel T10 che controlla anche l'antispin e l'acquisizione dei dati - sovralimentazione con turbo Garrett Tr30R con scambiatore di calore aria-aria, sistema di iniezione d'acqua e spruzzo d'acqua sullo scambiatore - potenza max dichiarata 300 cv a 6400 giri - coppia max 65 (!!!) kgm a 4000 giri. Cambio ravvicinato X-Trac a innesti frontali a 6 marce con comando sequenziale tramite leva a "joystick" - 3 differenziali autobloccanti X-Trac a dischi di frizione e a controllo elettronico - frizione tridisco Sachs in carbonio - trazione integrale.

Telaio e dimensioni: Carrozzeria 3 porte, 2 volumi - scocca Ford in acciaio con roll-bar integrato - Sospensioni anteriori a ruote indipendenti McPherson con bracci in acciaio, barra stabilizzatrice (asfalto da 25 mm, terra da 22 mm), ammortizzatori Reiger a gas e olio regolabili, molle Eibach elicoidali coassiali agli ammortizzatori, montante-mozzo in titanio - sospensioni posteriori come all'anteriore - Sterzo a pignone e cremagliera con idroguida - Freni, sia ant. che post., a disco autoventilanti Brembo con 4 pinze e diametro da 370 mm (asfalto) o 313 mm (terra) - pinze anteriori a 8 pompanti (asfalto) o 4 pompanti (terra), posteriori a 4 pompanti - circuito doppio con regolatore e ripartitore della frenata dall'abitacolo - freno a mano idraulico che disinserisce il differenziale centrale. Lunghezza 4152 mm - larghezza 1770 mm - passo 2615 mm - cerchi OZ in magnesio da 8x18" (asfalto), 7x15" (terra) e 5x16" (neve) - peso 1230 kg

Tabella delle prestazioni

n.b. - le velocità nelle singole marce, compresa quella max, sono state rilevate al regime di 7200 giri/min

Prestazioni, queste, che non hanno certo bisogno di commenti!!! Tanto per curiosità vi ricordiamo che l'incredibile Porsche 911 turbo provata da "Auto" (420 cv e uno scatto senza paragoni tra le auto di serie) ottiene "solo" 4,4 sec. nello scatto da 0 a 100 e 12,58 sec. sui 400 metri da fermo… Se poi aggiungiamo che Biasion saliva per la prima volta sulla Focus e che la vettura non era certo fresca (aveva appena finito il rally di Sanremo nella mani di Sainz…) c'è veramente da rimanere a bocca aperta!!!