Os this the sweetest spot of Ford’s ‘New Edge’ purple patch? Today, 25 years since it was launched, I’m almost certain of it. The sun’s beating down and this Puma feels even better than my own did when I sold it more than a decade ago. A foolish move, I can’t help but conclude. I’ve been driving to a much more symbolic reunion, though, one with the dinky coupé’s design chief, the inimitable Ian Callum. Back in the mid-1990s Callum was working for TWR and the Aston Martin DB7 had just launched to widespread praise. He tells me: ‘Suddenly I have a calling card. Ford comes along and says “We’ve got this Yamaha engine and we’re looking for a car to put it in.” Rather than just put it in a Fiesta, they want to build a special car around it, to give the engine a unique home.’
In the modern era of platform-sharing and parts-bin commonality – concepts that have hoovered up the individuality of affordable mainstream cars – it sounds like an absurd indulgence. ‘The fact that the Vauxhall Tigra was out gave the numbers boys an excuse to try something, otherwise I’m not sure this would have
