Puma (car)

Puma was a Brazilian automobile brand or a small volume manufacturers who built 1964-1997 sports car. The vehicles originally developed to DKW base changed after the demise of this brand to VW technology and manufactured in their final phase of components of General Motors. There were about 20 different models, all based in their basic design on a central tube frame with fiberglass body.

In the most successful production year 1979 3595 Pumas emerged (GM- based). A total of 21,733 vehicles were officially built, also from 1973, licensed production of 383 vehicles in South Africa. 1995 Ford acquired the rights to the brand Puma and took the name from 1997 to 2002 for the Ford Puma.

Origin of the brand

In the 1950s and 1960s, Brazil was trying hard to win the connection to the western industrialized nations. Visible expression of this was in addition to the establishment of the then state of the art capital of Brasília, the establishment of a national automotive industry. To achieve this goal, co-operation entered into with major car manufacturers, including Volkswagen. In parallel, high import duties were levied on finished automobiles produced to promote domestic production. This led on the one hand, that companies such as Volkswagen and General Motors expanding their production capacities in Brazil, at the same time but only were the usual " bread - and-butter cars " in the program. Well, mostly two -seater sports car, which at that time were very much in style, were thus hardly on the Brazilian market.

The amateur racers and lawyer Genaro ( Rino ) Malzoni from Matão (São Paulo) began in 1964 for use on the race track to build its own competition cars. Base was the technique of " DKW 3 = 6 " with two-stroke engine and the typical DKW front-wheel drive. After three prototypes, the final form was found for the " DKW Malzoni GT " *. In 1966, the successor model, the " DKW Puma GT" was presented to the public. In parallel, the company name was changed to " Puma Veiculos e Motores ". The vehicle consisted of a central tube frame and a fiberglass body, a design which was becoming increasingly popular especially among small-scale producers since the introduction of the Corvette by Chevrolet ( 1953). From the originally planned Homologationsserie a small series production grew thanks to strong demand in the second year of production. 121 produced sports car in 1967 was the first highlight.

However, 1967 also brought a fundamental turning point in the technical design: the DKW brand experienced a long decline. Only the brand was still in the hands of Mercedes -Benz and was sold to Volkswagen in 1964. After that there were at DKW no further technical developments more. In 1968 the DKW production in Brazil has been set. For the company's founder Rino Malzoni it was obvious to enter into negotiations with the new owner of DKW. In light pressure the government into an agreement with Volkswagen could be taken.

  • Thomas Brown, Puma types and history, 2011 S.2f

Cougar on a VW platform

This decision brought for the young brand Puma at first sight clearer sports car attributes: The most significant change was the change from the typical DKW front to the sporty rear-wheel drive. Motor side, now came a four-cylinder four -stroke engine used in place of the previous (in fact, but not unsportsmanlike ) three-cylinder two -stroke engine by DKW. The base now provided the Karmann Ghia, which was available in Brazil.

The VW Puma GT was initially shipped with 1.5 liter engine. No later than 1970, it is the Puma GT 1600 and the Puma GT in 1800. 1600 In 1969 a 2 2 seater coupe was based on the Puma GT under the designation GT 4 R. The Puma GT 4R has a total circulation of officially 3 units built and raffled off to the participants of a competition. The prototype of these vehicles was made ​​of metal and appeared recently on again. Between 1971 and 1972, was the Puma GT Spider, the first convertible in the offer, the carmaker from Brazil. A short time later, the Puma GTS, a convertible, which became the blockbuster alongside the coupe was created.

A major boost to the production figures provided the recorded from 1970 export activity. Several Puma GTE ( the E stands for " Export" ) came as a so -called Kitcars in the United States, as finished vehicles to Canada, Europe and Central America. A few vehicles also reached Australia (1979) and the Japanese market (1981 ) *. Worldwide, however, remained Pumas exotics. The products exported to the U.S. vehicles had to be delivered in parts to comply with U.S. import regulations: body, axles, engine and wheels were introduced separately from each other only as individual modules. Many importers leaving only the bodies from Brazil and completed the vehicles with VW or foreign matter from the U.S. market. A short time could all cars are sold to America until 1981, new licensing requirements led to that already arrived in America Cougar vehicles had to be sent back to Brazil again.

  • Thomas Brown, Puma types and History, 2011, p.64

Puma in South Africa

A curious chapter of the car brand Puma has been written in South Africa. In 1973, at the initiative of a South African businessman, a licensed production in Durban. However, this requires considerable technical effort and enthusiastic use. The Puma was produced in Brazil based on the VW Karmann Ghia and Volkswagen delivered the needed parts without any further requirements. For South Africa, a different situation arose: The Karmann Ghia was not available there. That's why they sent an African beetle to Brazil, which should be converted into a right-hand drive Puma. Since the first Puma was damaged by the head of the company in South Africa, had to be sent another beetle to Brazil. The second prototype based on the African VW Beetle served as a model for the South African Puma vehicles. This was believed to have solved all the problems.

In South Africa, however, refused the major auto manufacturer Volkswagen to supply the necessary parts individually to the newly founded Bromer Motor Assemblies. Thus, the small factory in the village of New Germany near Durban was forced to buy complete VW Beetle and develop the necessary parts. The rest was sold or, if that did not succeed, scrapped. The vehicles produced in South Africa were of poor quality, and so the Bromer Motor Assemblies had already sign 1974 bankruptcy. The car dealer Lindsay Saker Johannesburg had probably sold the most Pumas in South Africa. After Bromer bankruptcy took over the workshop manager of Lindsay Saker, Jack Wijker, the bankruptcy estate and founded the company " Puma Marketing " *. Jack Wijker brought more vehicles from Brazil and made from 1989 to 1991 again a small production of 26 vehicles on the legs, which he built from imported parts. In 2006 he began again with a small series production. Today occur per month, according to information provided by Jack Wijker one to two Puma vehicles.

  • Thomas Brown, Puma types and history, 2011 S.17ff.

Puma with GM technology

In addition to the Volkswagen - series was begun in 1970 with the development of a second model. It was decided at that time for a second income in cooperation with General Motors based on the model Chevrolet Opala with four-or six-cylinder engine (2.5 or 4.1 liters ). The design of the Puma GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato ) was from Rino Malzoni and Britinho, a car designer from Ford * were delivered vehicles from 1973 with a 4.1 liter engine by General Motors. The interior of the GTB models was pretty exclusively with leather interior, power windows and air conditioning in comparison to the other Puma models. Unlike Volkswagen, GM supplied the engines without engine number. So it was possible that the chassis number and engine number in the GM -based Puma models could be the same. Offered was the GTB 1973-1978 *.

At the motor show in São Paulo in 1978 was the second edition of the GTB, GTB called S2, first presented to the public. Compared to the GTB car front is designed flatter. Furthermore, the GTB S2 received dual headlights and a new rear lights. In the bumper turn signal lenses were integrated. With the equipment you put on comfort and the latest technology. This included power steering, air conditioning, lots of leather and retractable seat belts. Offered was the GTB S2 between 1979 and 1984.

Between 1974 and 1980, the automaker had the highest production figures for the entire brand story. Thereafter, however, followed the decline. Brazil's economy had lost the race with the industrialized nations and fell into a prolonged crisis. At the same time the import regulations have been relaxed and opened the market for cheap and technically advanced sports cars especially from Japan. This pressure was the Puma Indústria de Veículos SA permanently unable to withstand. The production figures fell within five years of more than 3000 units to less than 100 vehicles in 1984., The company was sold. Araucaria Veículos was bought in 1987 by Niveo de Lima and traded under the name Alfa Metais. Under his direction, the AM1 (Coupe ) and AM2 ( convertible) came on the market. The successor of the Puma GTB was the AMV 4.1. After a facelift in the sports car the end of this segment in 1993 was sealed. Puma trucks were still in production until 1997. Then no more Pumas were manufactured. 1995 Ford acquired the trademark rights to the name Puma for Europe. The trademark rights to Puma for the Americas are still in the family de Lima.

  • Thomas Brown, Puma types and history, 2011 S.109ff.

Puma design data using the example of the GT 1600 (1970)

The Puma 1600 GT was a coupe with a central tube frame and shortened by 27 cm floor assembly of the VW Karmann Ghia Type 14 *. It was powered by air-cooled 1600 cc four-cylinder boxer engine from Volkswagen. The engine had exactly 1584 cc ( bore 85.5 mm, stroke 69 mm ) and developed 70 hp SAE (40 kW/54 hp) at 4.200/min. The engine had overhead valves, a central camshaft, aluminum alloy cylinder heads and cylinder block and a four -bearing crankshaft. Equipped he was with a downdraft carburetor alternatively by Solex / Brosol, a Brazilian carburetor farmer who had the classic Solex carburetors for example. The rear-wheel drive sports car had a four-speed fully synchromesh transmission with hypoid final drive. The central tube frame was rear forked with the platform of the Karmann Ghia as a building ground. Front double crank arm with transverse torsion bars, rear independent suspension with swing axle, trailing arms and transverse torsion bars. In front delayed disc brakes with a diameter of 27.8 cm, rear drum brakes.

The wheelbase was given as 2,150 mm, track 1.315/1.310 mm Ground clearance 170 mm, length 3960 mm and width 1580 mm, height 1160 mm. A top speed of 160 km / h were called, with a power to weight ratio of 9.7 kg / hp, the average consumption was 7.7 liters per DIN.

  • Thomas Brown, Puma types and history, 2011 S.60f.

Production figures ( Brazil)

Production figures ( South Africa)

665082
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