£500 TO £1000 PUMA 1.7
Ignore the overinflated new Puma crossover – the original Puma coupé is a fast Ford icon and certified classic of the future. And, while similar low-budget Blue Ovals have recently seen substantial price hikes (ST170s have doubled in value over the past couple of years), the compact sportster still languishes in old-banger territory.
But why? The Puma’s girly image is to blame. Combined with the availability of a low-power 1.4-litre engine and a habit of rusting to dust, the little Ford’s charms have so far failed to capture collectors.
But that’s their loss, because Pumas are a hoot to hustle along any British back road thanks to an SVE-tuned chassis and – in Fast Ford’s choice, the 1.7 – a revvy Yamaha-developed 1679cc Zetec SE powerplant with
