New Ford puma...

ThePrettyDamned

But it's not a bloody puma!

https://www.ford.co.uk/cars/new-puma?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=Cj0KCQjwy97qBRDoARIsAITONTJZ4beFdYvJpm3ChZA4CDprkQ-OJhWXygPBD2JEwlRy5NaClyKcl8YaAg-4EALw_wcB

robgilmo

Lots of Fords tend to ''quietly demand my attention'' these days.

dindude

That’s one of the better looking mini SUVs I reckon. The Puma was never gonna be replaced like for like as no one buys coupes and sports cars any more. Even the Audi TT is ceasing production. Not sure what the obsession is for SUVs still though, I’ve managed to avoid them up to now but it’s getting harder and harder.

RaymondLin

I really don’t know what the obsession with SUV is either.  Some of the country lanes are tiny, some towns have very narrow roads that a Yaris barely fits.  They are bigger, heavier, less aerodynamic so its
worse for fuel.  How often to you need all that space anyway?

robgilmo

In reality, if you check the specs,  a lot of them have the same footprint as an average car, they are just taller. Cars in general have gotten bigger.

strtdv

Most people who drive an SUV would be better off in a decent sized hatchback or estate

BigBearKris

Most modern cars start to look just the same...

robgilmo

strtdv said:

Most people who drive an SUV would be better off in a decent sized hatchback or estate

You are probably right, but a lot of us SUV drivers do sometimes have to use them for harder tasks like driving over gravel, 

And going fishing.




Or just taking the long way home.



The missus would have a fit if I used the VW Pissat.

steveledzep

strtdv said:

Most people who drive an SUV would be better off in a decent sized hatchback or estate

I'm in the minority then.  I have a problem with my back and my Lexus RX allows easy entry and exit.  Must say, the Lexus is so damn good, I'd drive one if my back was perfect.

digitalscream

As someone who, until recently, was a proud (original) Puma owner and still loves them, that makes me want to claw my eyes out. I struggle to see the point of recycling the name for a car that's clearly not even remotely related to the original, even in spirit?

dindude said:

The Puma was never gonna be replaced like for like as no one buys coupes and sports cars any more.

More's the pity. Perhaps I'm just irredeemably old-fashioned, but cars like the Puma/Celica/etc were just unashamed fun while still being usable day-to-day. These days, if you want something like that then you've pretty much got hot hatches and...well, that's it.

DrJazzTap

Dear God that's ugly

ThePrettyDamned

digitalscream said:

As someone who, until recently, was a proud (original) Puma owner and still loves them, that makes me want to claw my eyes out. I struggle to see the point of recycling the name for a car that's clearly not even remotely related to the original, even in spirit?

dindude said:

The Puma was never gonna be replaced like for like as no one buys coupes and sports cars any more.

More's the pity. Perhaps I'm just irredeemably old-fashioned, but cars like the Puma/Celica/etc were just unashamed fun while still being usable day-to-day. These days, if you want something like that then you've pretty much got hot hatches and...well, that's it.

My first was a 1.7 puma and it was a stunner. What a car. If it was replaced with a 1 litre eco boost version, it would be just as nippy and fun with a sport 1.4 version for people who need to compensate for something. 

Such a pretty car, it handled nicely and was just... So damn right. A modern version could make driving fun without being a gas guzzling monster. It even had a half decent boot, 

digitalscream

ThePrettyDamned said:

digitalscream said:

As someone who, until recently, was a proud (original) Puma owner and still loves them, that makes me want to claw my eyes out. I struggle to see the point of recycling the name for a car that's clearly not even remotely related to the original, even in spirit?

dindude said:

The Puma was never gonna be replaced like for like as no one buys coupes and sports cars any more.

More's the pity. Perhaps I'm just irredeemably old-fashioned, but cars like the Puma/Celica/etc were just unashamed fun while still being usable day-to-day. These days, if you want something like that then you've pretty much got hot hatches and...well, that's it.

My first was a 1.7 puma and it was a stunner. What a car. If it was replaced with a 1 litre eco boost version, it would be just as nippy and fun with a sport 1.4 version for people who need to compensate for something. 

Such a pretty car, it handled nicely and was just... So damn right. A modern version could make driving fun without being a gas guzzling monster. It even had a half decent boot, 

The Puma was my second car, and I must admit I do miss it (although my next-door-neighbour bought it, so I guess I could always get it back if I really wanted to). The Celica is an upgrade in almost every way - it's got a bigger boot, the rear seats are more comfortable, there's more elbow room, the driving position's nicer, the handling's stiffer and flatter (which I happen to like), and it has cup holders.

However, it's not quite as responsive as the Puma was, and the engine doesn't rev anywhere near as fast. And - although I know it's entirely a childish thing - the engine noise in the Puma just put a stupid grin on my face every time I put my foot down. And all in a car that (for me) still averaged about 39-40mpg 18 years after it rolled off the production line.

It's a real shame they don't make cars like that any more.

Can't help feeling that if the Celica got an engine like the 168bhp 1.4 in the Alfa Giulietta, it'd win in the "fun" stakes. The Puma just edges it, though.

MikeS

Dirt on a 4x4

Here are my two looking unusually clean and pretty.

Looking forward to the opportunity of pulling one of those Puma's out of the snow/mud at some point in the future then

skunkwerx

How else will all the mothers get their only child down the road to school of a morning without a Range Rover evoque.. 

Can't drive for shit so better get a big car for Timmy and his packed fucking lunch so we can blind every other asshole trying to get to work, or if that fails just barge in past em all.

And that 'puma' is just an ugly Kuga. 
The fuck can you not do in a Kuga that you can in this?

What the fuck is a crossover anyway. 
What a load of bollocks. 
A crossover is a small box that separates your tweeters from your woofers. 

Oh its blurring the line between a hatch/saloon/estate and a chelsea tractor. 

Have you seen the adverts for these fucking things?

Some asshole and his family driving through the Alps with smiles on their faces and stopping to unload the canoes at a picturesque river..

Asinine.


Theres only one thing that winds me up more about the car world. 

Last week I walked into a stealership to take a look at the used Fiestas advertised for £9555, because I couldnt quite believe my fucking eyeballs as I drove past.

This berk came out and tried selling me an electric vehicle. 

He actually pitched it with a straight face. 

He said look mate, charges up in 40 minutes.. 

So you're telling me, that after work twice a week I'm gonna have to take a drive down to the plug and pay £6.50 to sit there on my jack like Steven fucking Glandsburg for 40 minutes until I can go home? 

Yeah but you can install one at home for only £400 he said. 

I said look buddy, when aquaman drowns and the human torch dives in to save him, I'll consider it. 

But first I'll take fort knox with a slingshot and go into hell after hitler.

I never thought I could be more shitty towards the world of cars than when the Fiat 500 was reborn and Smart made a fucking heinous coffin on wheels. 

Dear me I miss the days of chavs driving their barry boy Vauxhall Nova's. 
And I will never miss those wee pricks. 







 

ThePrettyDamned

digitalscream said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

digitalscream said:

As someone who, until recently, was a proud (original) Puma owner and still loves them, that makes me want to claw my eyes out. I struggle to see the point of recycling the name for a car that's clearly not even remotely related to the original, even in spirit?

dindude said:

The Puma was never gonna be replaced like for like as no one buys coupes and sports cars any more.

More's the pity. Perhaps I'm just irredeemably old-fashioned, but cars like the Puma/Celica/etc were just unashamed fun while still being usable day-to-day. These days, if you want something like that then you've pretty much got hot hatches and...well, that's it.

My first was a 1.7 puma and it was a stunner. What a car. If it was replaced with a 1 litre eco boost version, it would be just as nippy and fun with a sport 1.4 version for people who need to compensate for something. 

Such a pretty car, it handled nicely and was just... So damn right. A modern version could make driving fun without being a gas guzzling monster. It even had a half decent boot, 

The Puma was my second car, and I must admit I do miss it (although my next-door-neighbour bought it, so I guess I could always get it back if I really wanted to). The Celica is an upgrade in almost every way - it's got a bigger boot, the rear seats are more comfortable, there's more elbow room, the driving position's nicer, the handling's stiffer and flatter (which I happen to like), and it has cup holders.

However, it's not quite as responsive as the Puma was, and the engine doesn't rev anywhere near as fast. And - although I know it's entirely a childish thing - the engine noise in the Puma just put a stupid grin on my face every time I put my foot down. And all in a car that (for me) still averaged about 39-40mpg 18 years after it rolled off the production line.

It's a real shame they don't make cars like that any more.

Can't help feeling that if the Celica got an engine like the 168bhp 1.4 in the Alfa Giulietta, it'd win in the "fun" stakes. The Puma just edges it, though.

Totally! People who put the puma down for lack of speed don't get it - the car was so balanced, I'd not want it much quicker, it would need better brakes and just feel angry, like a hot hatch. 

It was just such a nice car for pootling about in. I do want one with a modern, efficient engine. Or an e-car! 

skunkwerx

Hang on, I've just visited Fords website. 

I've only owned 3 cars, two of them were a focus. So I like them.

But what is this madness I see before me?

I'm sitting here with a pizza in the oven and Harry Potter on loving life and now i'm angry. 

There is the: 
Edge
Kuga
Ecosport
New Puma

All the fucking same thing. 

Then theres the: 
S-max
C-max
Galaxy
The two 'not a van' Tourneos. 

All the same fucking thing that the previous 4 same things can do..

I'm obviously getting old. 

strtdv

@robgilmo that comment wasn't particularly aimed at people like you. You're in the group of people that want what I would call a "utility vehicle", which is fair enough. For people that want to tow, or people who genuinely want off-road ability that's fair enough, it's hard to beat a proper body-on-frame 4x4. 

However, the new puma is unlikely to possess any off-road ability whatsoever, and is aimed at people doing the school run who like the idea of a bigger car. They don't realise that lots of these have no more useable space (particularly boot space) than an ordinary hatchback. 

Personally I'd have a big estate as my everyday car (which would still be able to tow a caravan if needed) and one of the new Jimnys for some fun off-roading.

Budget 3 car garage for me would be: Golf R estate, new MX-5 (possibly the RF) with BBR kit, and a Jimny with some extra kit (maybe even a roof tent)

Nitefly

robgilmo said:

In reality, if you check the specs,  a lot of them have the same footprint as an average car, they are just taller. Cars in general have gotten bigger.

You can say that again - I have a Peugeot 208, which is loads bigger than the 207 it replaced - it'e pretty much the same size as the 308, which has also recently got bigger.

There aren't any Granada/Carlton type cars now, because the Mondeo and Insignia are now the size Granada/Carlton used to be.

PC_Dave

@skunkwerx - you ok hun?

Maynehead

Isn’t that a Nissan Juke?