It’s important to never get too excited over a swoopy body and sports-like details, as there may be an underwhelming powerplant involved. While you could argue that’s the case in a car like this Puma GTE Coupe, an exception can sometimes be made if the car is special enough to overlook the horsepower deficit. I always gives the Puma a pass, because similar to cars like the Toyota MR-2 Spyder and the 1980s-era Honda Civic Si, you can’t always measure how special a car is solely in horsepower. Find this rare 1987 Puma GTE here on Facebook Marketplace for $12,995.
You also have to give the Puma some love solely because they weren’t ever officially sold here, making the discovery of one in the states a rare find. The “E” in the “GTE” name stood for export, so while the Puma seems like forbidden fruit, it also wasn’t prohibited from being sold in the U.S. However, as a niche manufacturer, Puma wasn’t exactly going to challenge major automakers for world domination, so it’s not surprising that the only way cars like this one made it here is through a privateer’s decision to import it. The Puma rode on the Volkswagen Brasilia chassis, another model that was never sold stateside.
The Puma stood out beyond just its racy styling. It managed to offer a fairly complete package despite not being put together by a major OEM, with a surprisingly decent level of fit and finish. The interior was sporting, with a tidy three-spoke steering wheel and a “real” dashboard, meaning it didn’t look like it was glued together as so many kit car manufacturers often do. Deeply bolstered bucket seats added to the sports car-effect, but the VW-derived engine often reminded you that the body may be writing checks that the engine can’t cash. Still, that’s remedied with an upgraded engine, which plenty of GTE owners have swapped into the rear-mounted engine bay.
The seller notes that this Puma does, indeed, benefit from a modified drivetrain, listing the engine as a “…2010 CC modified engine, Delargo carburetor, MSD electronic ignition.” He also mentions that the gearbox has been upgraded to a popular VW “Freeway Flier” unit, which effectively lowers the engine speed on the highway by utilizing a lower gear ratio in 4th, and is a very popular upgrade with all manners of air-cooled VWs. The listing also correctly notes that while this is considered a production car everywhere else (hence the build quality), your local registration office will label it as a kit car. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Yargbull for the find.
Yes these are cool, but on the small side, talk about some poor photos to sell a car. Location gives the address, so maybe a dealer?
First thing I’d do is paint over those big yellow letters across the rear.
It’s silly to ever make horsepower the only criteria. So, so many cars that were fun to drive weren’t powerful. But their handling alone made them fun. Spitfire, Midgets, X1/9s… all great cars. Even the majority of the 80s economies, mated with stick shift, were a blast to drive. Fast forward to today and it’s hard to find anything affordable that is in any way fun.
Mine is registered as a Puma. It’s the cheapest air-cooled sports car left if you’ve been priced out of Porsches. It is fun to drive. Some parts are a pain to buy as you can’t just reach out to Brazil and get it. You need to buy from someone who is a registered importer with the Brazilian government.
I own a GTS (conv) and juices it up with a 2L turbo. It is a blast to drive.
I’d take this any day over a faux Speedster.Pumas are cars in their own right, beautiful styling and with added oomph to a VW motor ( or drop in a nice Porsche plant) these cars deliver the performance t ogo with the looks.If I parted with my P cars I’d be looking for a nice Puma ( prefer the coupes).Good luck with the sale..
If you could get your hands on decent pictures of the entire car you would see a really good looking car. As for the engine, these days you can get a sizeable increase in HP without breaking your bank account.
I never owned a Puma, but owned two Ventura’s by the same company. They ran a pancake VW engine and were quite well built. These cars were imported completely factory built less drivetrain which made for an easy and quick up and running specialty car.
why can’t I find a profile picture?
A Rare Brazilian Sports Car: The Puma GTI
https://silodrome.com/puma-gti-car/
Good pictures Michael. Whale tail doesn’t do anything for looks and with that engine it’s just something heavier to haul around. Seen them in person and they are beautiful cars.
The tail is a horror “spoiling” a lovely car.I’d have it off before the car left the driveway!