In the world of sports cars, it’s not unusual to see efforts that marry the mechanical know-how of one culture with another nation’s talent for design. A number of examples of American/European partnerships spring to mind: the DeTomaso Pantera, for example, or the Jensen Interceptor. But what about a car that pairs the engineering of the Old World with the style of the New? Such is the package offered by this 1978 Puma GTE. This South American import is up for auction here on eBay, with the bid resting at $6,600 at time of writing. With over three days left to go on the auction and the reserve as yet unmet, it remains to be seen whether this rare Brazilian coupe will be headed for a new home.

The Puma brand began almost accidentally, when the Brazilian government sought to spur native industry by banning imports of automobiles to the country. Several foreign automakers responded by setting up shop in the South American country, including the German firms Volkswagen and DKW– one of the forerunners of Audi. Rino Malzoni, lawyer and self-taught automotive designer, created the first of his GTs using the DKW 3-cylinder, two-stroke platform. The car’s success on the racing circuit set in motion a series of events that ultimately resulted in the founding of Puma. When Volkswagen gobbled up first Autounion, and with it DKW, in 1965, and then the Vemag factory (which had been producing the DKW chassis and drivetrains that Puma was using) in 1967, Puma was forced to switch platforms. They ultimately settled on the VW Karmann Ghia, and the Puma GT was born.

This car, the GTE, is the export version of the late-60’s GT, and consists of mostly Ghia fundamentals matched with the fiberglass body shell from Puma. The engine would have been a Volkswagen 1.6L Type 1, likely making 60 horsepower, but giving the lighter car more sprightly performance than the Karmann Ghia. No doubt its performance has improved dramatically with the modifications detailed by the seller. The Wolfsburg logo on the steering wheel probably isn’t original: although these cars were sold in the U.S. as kits, they were factory-produced in Brazil. The kit designation might have been more of a means to skirt United States regulations on auto imports– they arrived missing the drivetrain and front suspension, but Puma could either provide these through suppliers stateside or the owner could source their own. By all accounts, in all other ways the cars were complete.

The look of the car is definitely European, seeming to evoke elements of Porsche design while the location of the turn signals suggests the Lotus Europa. Definitely a car that will get attention, if not the recognition that a more common sports car might bring. It does manage the neat trick of being both extremely rare and easy to maintain, thanks to its VW roots. And thanks to those roots, if the current setup doesn’t inspire, there are any number of options and upgrades that are available. With the low cost of entry, beautiful lines, racing pedigree, and readily available parts, the Puma might be the perfect classic sports car.