Estimated Price: £16,000 - £20,000

• Launched in 2000 following the ST160 concept of 1999, the Ford Racing Puma was developed by Ford Racing and represented the ultimate evolution of Ford’s highly regarded sports coupe
• Developed using Ford’s Yamaha-designed 1.7-litre Zetec engine uprated to 153bhp, the Racing Puma featured wider bodywork and track, lowered Eibach suspension, four-piston Alcon front brakes, unique 17-inch MIM alloy wheels and blue Alcantara-trimmed Sparco seats. Just 500 production examples were ultimately built, all finished in Imperial Blue
• Prior to full production, a small number of press and development cars were assembled at Ford’s Boreham facility. In December 1999, six pre-production examples, registered V1 FRP to V6 FRP, are understood to have been taken to California for the model’s international media launch
• Registered in 1999, V729 JPU is particularly intriguing. Its inlet manifold is marked ‘FMC 02’, whilst its chassis number is understood to sit just three digits from V3 FRP and one digit from Press Car Number 8. Ford ETIS also records Imperial Blue, whilst information supplied with the car is understood to show the same donor-car build date as the first six cars
• Subject to a comprehensive restoration by marque specialists, Pumabuild, including a bare-shell strip and rebuild, with the extent of the work detailed in the accompanying Seller’s Report
• An unusually interesting Racing Puma, combining a comprehensive specialist restoration with a tantalising collection of details linking it to the model’s earliest press and development programme