SPIED: Ford Puma ST caught completely undisguised

Occasionally, if our spy photographers are really lucky, they manage to capture forthcoming cars completely undisguised. That is indeed the case here, where the Ford Puma ST was caught without a shred of camouflage covering its blue body.

Enthusiasts have been up in arms over Ford recycling a name previously reserved for a coupé for yet another crossover, so a hotted-up version is perhaps the Blue Oval’s way to make amends. Not much can be gleaned externally at first glance, as this car sports a similar look to the ST Line version of the standard car, incorporating the same larger air intakes, deeper side skirts and body-coloured cladding and rear diffuser.

Look closely, however, and you’ll realise quite a bit is going on underneath. Up front, there’s a deep chin spoiler that adds a touch of purposeful sportiness, while a bigger intercooler appears to be wedged behind the centre inlet. Also appearing to be bigger are the front disc brakes that fill the 17-inch alloy wheels much better than the weedy standard items, while the rear end gets a pair of round tail pipes.

Inside, the most notable change is the beefier Recaro seats, complementing the ST Line’s flat-bottomed steering wheel and unique gearknob. Since the Puma is based on the Fiesta, the ST should get the latter‘s 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine that makes 200 PS and 290 Nm of torque, along with a six-speed manual gearbox. Expect the zero-to-100 km/h sprint to be slightly slower than the Fiesta’s 6.5 seconds.