Every few months, it seems another one of these unusual Volkswagen-based Puma GTEs shows up for sale. Most of the time, they are project-grade cars that somehow made its way to the United States, usually the work of a very committed owner who made the effort to bring one up from South America. As such, they have a few battle scars and parts missing, most of which will require some heavy lifting to track down. But then one pops up like this 1974 GTE here on Facebook Marketplace and living in Brasil. It looks like a near-showroom condition example with none of the tricky parts missing, but you’ll have to determine whether you still want it after the importation costs and the $35,000 asking price are paid.
The fact that the Puma keeps coming up for sale tells me a few things: one, for the cars that are already stateside, more than a few ambitious enthusiasts made the investments of time and money to bring these exotic coupes stateside. And two, for a seller to post up what looks like one of the best examples left on a classifieds site targeting U.S. buyers likely means there are still a few Puma fanatics lurking out there. This one is said to be mostly original with an unrestored interior and exterior paint job, which clearly indicates a Puma enthusiast in Brasil has been looking after it. Look at that interior – it looks like no other air-cooled VW of the same era.
The seller reports that this is the original engine, which is mounted in the rear, but that it has had some sensible performance modifications made to make the driving experience slightly more entertaining. Like every VW-based kit car that came to the U.S. (and I know the Puma is not a kit car), the Puma has exotic looks but a fairly humble powerplant. Although the seller doesn’t go into detail about the scale of upgrades made, I’m sure whatever level of upgrades were performed will yield noticeable improvements to the hum-drum performance capabilities of a bone-stock example. Perhaps it was a hot cam and free-flowing exhaust? Maybe some bigger sway bars?
Despite the head-scratching history of the Puma in the U.S., there is no doubting the fact that it was a very pretty design. What would have happened if Volkswagen officially imported the Puma during the height of the Beetle craze in the United States? Would it have completely changed the perception of VW in the U.S., or would it have distracted customers from buying the bread-and-butter Beetle given the questions that usually arise when a bargain basement brand attempts to move upscale? This Puma GTE is evidence that suggests VW should have imported it and laid all of its cards on the table rather than keeping it a secret from U.S. buyers.
More like 3500
$35k with a VW engine, better hurry posted 9 weeks ago.
At $35k? One has to wonder if the tires are filled with something besides air.
20k would be about right. These were not a kit car so the quality is a lot better as far as assembly and details. People scoff at VW’s but I saw a very wicked 55 Chevy 2door post get pulled three car lengths by a bug that had the front wheels 6″ off the ground back in 81-82. My 68 R/T Charger with a 12.5:1 tunnel rammed 440 would have lost and it was the second fastest car in town at the time. They will run when done right.
I will admit to being absolutely baffled by car prices today. I was in the business, essentially, from age 6, and nothing in my previous experience has any bearing other than “buy low, sell high”. In a sane world I cannot picture this being worth more than $5000, and that, to me, is generous. Good thing my signature only matters to my personal account, because whoever would have been relying on me to make bank would be broke by now just paying flooring and employees.
Anyone tried some variant of a Porsche engine in these?
So people are wondering about the price but not much discussion on the rusted out 64 Porsche for 49000 that was just up a couple of days ago listed by those people at GWMC and this has the same engine in it, just not stamped Porsche same output and probably handles better. What’s wrong with this picture.
Dear Sirs, this car was produced by Puma itself on a Volkswagen OK platform.
This model, which has only one side window known here as a shark, is the most harmonious.
This one looks very original.
Around here many poisoned the engines improving performance. Even a Corvair engine was used. They were very fast but had no final speed.
Here they are also costing a lot but much less than in the USA.
They’re fun, but it’s a lot of money.
I have a 72′ Puma coupe from Brasil and an 80′ convertible. They are great little cars that are a pleasure to drive. Being rare here in the USA, you don’t see them at every turn, so draw lots of attention. The prices are climbing, but 35K seems a bit much.