Puma’s comeback to Blue Oval fleet is largely expected. This time, however, the company isn’t building a sports coupe as it did between 1997 and 2003. Instead, the nameplate will be hooked up to an all-new small crossover. As we’ve announced earlier this year, the vehicle will be largely influenced by the Fiesta. Moreover, most of the public see the 2020 Ford Puma just as one more jacked up version of the popular hatchback. Basically, this is the truth. Moreover, just like its hatch twin, the pint-sized SUV is receiving an ST treatment right now.
The 2021 Ford Puma ST will reportedly use pretty much the identical powertrain as the Fiesta ST. More precisely, the crossover will use a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder unit good for 198 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque running through a six-speed manual gearbox. By using the dashing drivetrain, the mini-SUV should be able to speed up from 0 to 60 mph in just a little bit over 6 seconds, which isn’t a bad result at all.
Since we are talking about a more potent, ST-badged Puma, it’s fair to expect some additional adjustments typical for Ford’s ST lineup. The testing prototype spotted at the Nürburgring points out gets two round tailpipes. Up front, the crossover shows a honeycomb grille, a more aggressive bumper, and teardrop-shaped LEDs, while the side reveals larger alloy wheels. Though, the special treatment for the all-new SUV will bring a little bit more from this. Like its hatchback twin, the 2021 Puma ST will exploit electronic stability control and a brake-based torque vectoring setup. Of course, the automaker will not forget to add a driving modes selector.
The ST-badged Puma subcompact will be built at the same Craiova plant in Romania as the regular model. The vehicle will be introduced sometime next year.