PUMA GTE 1600/GTE CABRIOLET

2-door 2-seater coupé/open sports car.

Intriguing sporting car from Brazil with glass-fibre body shell on modified VW Beetle chassis and all running gear built with co-operation of VW Brazil. 70 or 90bhp (gross) gave top speeds up to 100mph, but with usual rather chancy Beetle-inspired roadholding. Smooth style, with rather Alpine-Renault-like nose, and on coupé a Ferrari GTB-like rear. The Chequered Flag were to have imported it in quantity, but the deal fell through after only a few cars had arrived in 1973. Ford, they say, objected to their trade-mark name being used. Are there any left out there?