JEKYLL AND HYDE

Ford Pumas. In the early 2000s they were everywhere, usually with a young lady at the wheel and rust already beginning to form on the rear arches.

Just like Vauxhall’s competitor, the Tigra, the novelty of a cute, tiny coupé quickly wore off and they devalued like crazy on the second-hand market. As a result, many were poorly maintained and it’s now really difficult to find a good example of either car. So when we heard of Philipp Federau and his son Patrick not only owning a mint road-going Puma but an ultra-rare race car version too, we had to find out more.

“Our love for Pumas came about by accident, really,” laughs Philipp, “I also have two Escort Cosworths, and it was taking ages to finish them. So while we were waiting, we started looking for a cheaper car