Ford entered 2021 sedan-free, which leaves room for extra crossovers to affix its American vary. Firm boss Jim Farley wrote that he hopes considered one of them might be an Americanized model of the Puma bought in Europe.
“[I] want this got here to North America and different markets,” Farley wrote on his personal Twitter account. He quoted a 15-second video promoting the recently-launched Puma ST that was posted by Ford’s British division.
Want this got here to NA and different markets! https://t.co/QpcXk2zokN
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98)
February 16, 2021
Launched in June 2019, and carefully associated to the Fiesta below the sheetmetal, the second-generation Puma is positioned close to the underside of Ford’s crossover lineup throughout the pond. It slots between the EcoSport and the Kuga, which is called the Escape in America. It is a design-led mannequin that is obtainable with a gasoline- or a diesel-burning engine, and the vary features a 200-horsepower ST variant (pictured) with a sportier design.
May the Puma choose up the place the Fiesta left off? It is not inconceivable, not less than on paper. It stretches 164.8 inches lengthy, 71.1 inches extensive, and 60.5 inches tall, dimensions that make it about seven inches shorter than the Toyota C-HR and round seven inches longer than the EcoSport. It is wider and decrease than the C-HR. In Europe, considered one of its most direct rivals is the second-generation Nissan Juke, which isn’t obtainable in the US.
Farley is the massive boss, but it surely takes greater than a tweet to convey a automotive right here. Even assuming the Puma can move an American crash check, it is seemingly too small to achieve a market dominated by a lot larger fashions.
“There are not any plans [to bring the Puma to America],” an organization spokesperson instructed Autoblog.
Farley is not the primary CEO of a significant carmaker to voice a want to see European-market vehicles bought in America. In 2013, then-Common Motors boss Dan Akerson stated Opel’s Cascada and Adam have been on his want record. Buick ended up getting the Cascada convertible for the 2016 mannequin yr, although manufacturing led to October 2019 after a brief and unremarkable profession, and the Adam (which was aimed on the Fiat 500) by no means sailed throughout the Atlantic.
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