Ford unveiled the Puma Hybrid Rally1 racecar earlier in the year.
Jim Farley, Ford CEO, shared a glimpse of his ride in a Ford Puma WRC vehicle on Twitter today. Blue Oval boss Jim Farley tweeted that his ride in a Ford Puma WRC car was “unique” and that it was “unlike any other driving experience he had ever had.” Farley reacts as Craig Breen pilots Ford’s new Pump Hyrbid Rally1 on an unspecified course.
As Farley drives the Puma racecar through the course, you can see his joy. Ford launched the Puma Hybrid Rally1 in January. This vehicle replaced the Ford Fiesta World Rally Car. Although the Puma may look similar to a crossover, its underpinnings are quite different. Although the Fiesta WRC car was built on a standard production car chassis, new regulations allowed manufacturers greater freedom. Ford chose to use a space frame chassis for the Puma racecar.
The Puma’s turbocharged 1.6-liter Fiesta WRC engine is paired with a hybrid drive system which can produce up to 134 horsepower (100 megawatts) during certain stages. The combined output can reach 500 horsepower (373 kilowatts), which for a Puma is quite impressive.
Although it’s not clear if Breen used all the Puma’s power the video shows the car reaching its maximum speed of 118 miles an hour (190 km per hour). The Puma has less downforce than the Fiesta. This is likely to make the ride more difficult. These rules required manual five-speed gearboxes with five speeds, and no paddle shifters nor center differentials.
Farley smiles at the end of his video and says, “That’s awesome” and “That’s so much fun.” Farley concluded his tweet with a promise of more, but did not give any details. Farley stated more than a year ago in a tweet that Ford does not offer the Puma in the US. Ford was lacking affordable models at the time. However, cars like the Maverick fill that gap. It would also be wonderful to have a Puma.