Ford of Europe Teases New Puma Crossover in Amsterdam
New Puma compact crossover to leave Romanian factory in late 2019, will use EcoBoost Hybrid technology for motivation.
Amsterdam is known for a few things. Its canals and dams, for one. Tons and tons of bicycles rolling through the city, of course. Not to mention the massive flocks of tourists who have prompted the city’s mayor to ask them to visit anyplace else in The Netherlands.
Amsterdam was also the host for Ford of Europe’s “Go Further” event April 3, where it unveiled a few new vehicles, including a glimpse of the upcoming Puma compact crossover, based on the Fiesta platform.
“Innovatively engineered and seductively styled, we think Puma is going to really resonate with compact-car customers in Europe,” said Ford of Europe boss Stuart Rowley. “If you want a car that can turn heads on Friday night, and swallow your flat-pack furniture with ease on Saturday afternoon, then you’ve found it.”
Unlike the previous Puma, a compact coupe built from 1997 to 2002, the new Puma crossover has wing-top mounted headlamps, a raised ride height for more confidence behind the wheel, and attractive styling in line with Ford’s other Euro-market crossovers.
Power for the Puma crossover is an EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt powertrain featuring a 1.0-liter three-pot with a belt-driven integrated starter/generator, providing tons of torque for hauling away the aforementioned flat-pack furniture (nestled in the deep rear storage compartment), and plenty of savings at the pump.
The new Puma will depart to showrooms near the end of 2019 from Ford of Europe’s Craiova Assembly Plant in Craiova, Romania, riding on a wave of SUV and crossover sales on the continent; over one in five vehicles sold by Ford of Europe are SUVs and crossovers.
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