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Curated Auction

1999 Ford Racing Puma

At a Glance

2 Former Keepers | ~13 Year Ownership | Keen Reserve

  • Mileage~174,498
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine1.7L
  • LocationDunmow

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below - we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report - learn more

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below - we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report - learn more

CURATED AUCTION

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CURRENT BID£1,000
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AUCTION LIVE

ENDS IN: 56 Days 12 Hr 51 Min51 Sec

CURRENT BID

£1,000

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Video #2

Introduction

Dom Ginn
Professional Consigner

The Racing Puma is considered one of the best FWD Fords ever made, even more special due to its rarity, with only ~500 ever produced.

The Puma was part of a new wave of 1990s Fords that embraced the brand's ‘New Edge’ design philosophy. Introduced in 1997, it featured a range of award-winning, punchy, and efficient Zetec engines, all wrapped in a sleek, modern 3-door coupe body. Its distinctive styling and impressive driving dynamics quickly earned praise from the press. Building on this momentum, Ford leveraged its marketing and motorsport expertise to launch the Racing Puma in 1999.

Developed in collaboration with Tickford, the Racing Puma was a significant evolution of the standard model, crafted by Ford’s Rally Specialist team. It sported a wider body finished in the iconic 'Imperial Blue' paint, paired with upgraded racing brakes, a revised suspension system, a modified gearbox and engine, with a motorsport-inspired interior featuring Sparco bucket seats and Alcantara trim. Limited to just ~500 units, it quickly secured its place among Ford’s sporting greats.

Suspected to be fewer than 300 left on the road, this particular example is production No.479, and comes from ~13 year ownership. The Ford had a new head gasket, head bolts and a new fuel pump fitted in 2020 and comes with 2 sets of keys, original service books and a current MOT valid until August 2025. This Racing Puma is a considerably rare car with limited run and a great deal of production budget put into its creation. Suited to both those after a fast car experience and collectors alike, the Ford is well worth a look.

This listing was written from information supplied by Dom after meeting Mike the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Video #2

Meet the owner

There's something so special about that Racing Puma performance and such a great drive!

It's safe to say that Mike, the current owner, is a fan of cars, and this is the second Puma he's owned as part of his motoring history. He tells us "After a round of golf at my local course, I was driving home past the local Ford garage. I owned a modified Puma at the time and loved the drive in it, so when I set eyes on the beautiful blue Racing Puma outside the dealership, I celebrated my hole in one with the purchase of this car!". He goes on to say "No other car handles or sounds so much fun. It’s wonderful to drive especially on country roads where it holds its line and handles so well, I'd best describe it as a little go-kart making it such great fun to drive".

With retirement on the horizon, the Racing Puma comes to market looking for it's new home, "I've loved my experience with the Racing Puma, but I'm retiring soon and just won't get to use it as much as I used to, I want to find a good home for it that will enjoy the drive as much as I have". Mike will be happy to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Mike
Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER
EXTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Exterior

Featuring a widened track, front splitter, and Speedline wheels, the Ford Racing Puma is finished in the Imperial Blue.

Wheels and Tyres

Fitted with 17" Speedline alloy wheels, these are in respectable condition but would really benefit from refurbishment, particularly the rear offside wheel.

The wheels are fitted with Firemax tyres, these appear to be in good condition, with a good amount of tread remaining and no obvious cracking or signs of age on the sidewalls. Front and rear tyres showed a spec of 215/40R17. Front tyres are dated from 2016 and rear from 2014.

For a more detailed view of the Ford's exterior and a closer inspection of the wheels and tyres, please refer to the photos and videos.

Bodywork

The Racing Puma maintains well-aligned panel gaps. Both doors, bonnet and the boot open and close smoothly. During our visit, we didn't note any major dents on the car, only minor dings on some of the panels. However, there are signs of corrosion on the bodywork under the front arches and on the underside of the car. There were previous works carried out to address notes of corrosion on the rear wings in 2011.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

Finished in "Imperial Blue" the paint looks great from afar, but on closer inspection is flat and marked in different areas along with paint chips to the front. We did note that the roof showed signs of marking and lacquer peel too. Overall, the condition of the car is inline with its mileage and would really benefit from a respray to bring it back to its original standard.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork and paint for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please, take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The main glass sections on the Ford appeared to be in good condition, including the windscreen, side windows, and mirrors. We didn't observe any cracks, chips or scratches during our visit. The badges around the car were in good condition and all appeared to be in place.

We did note a defect to the passenger side sill on the bottom of the door. The rear plate light has tape on it to hold it into position. The lights do show with some signs of condensation and would require some restorative work to reduce the fade.

Take a look through the exterior gallery and review video, we take you across all the areas of the car as if you were standing there for yourself. This way, you can see in greater detail how the exterior of the car is presented.

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INTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Interior

Racing inspired Sparco bucket seats, Alcantara steering wheel and matching interior trim, a sporty setup suiting the nature of the car.

Seats and Carpets

The exclusive Alcantara-trimmed Sparco racing seats with embroidered Ford Racing emblems show in good condition overall. The only issue we spotted were a few signs of wear on the drivers seat fabric.

The carpets are in good shape with some wear, but inline with the expectations of a car of this age and mileage. The RS Racing branded mats are presentable in their appearance. Overall, the interior presents well but would benefit from a valet and clean through to raise the standards of the car.

Dashboard

The dashboard is a simple affair reminiscent of all fords of this era, with its flowing shape and moulded design offering little distraction for the driver. The odometer displayed ~174,498 on the clock at the time of our visit. We did note a few marks on the facia dials.

The trim is in respectable shape, with some marks noted on the panels. The door cards show nicely and well mounted, with no significant issues with the headlining. The car also retains its original Aluminium Sparco pedals.

Our interior gallery section takes you through some closer images of the Ford's dashboard.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The black and blue Alcantara steering wheel is what you would expect given the mileage of the car, some visibly wear to the outer rim as pictured.

The manual gear stick had no issues that we noted with only minor signs of usage. There were a few signs of wear on the gaiter surround and minor marks were noted on the handbrake lever.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO
Video #2

Mechanics

Driven by a 1.7-litre naturally aspirated engine with ~155BHP, the Racing Puma is built with a single purpose - pure driving pleasure.

Engine and Gearbox

Starting up from cold, we noted no concerns and the car idled smoothly. The Racing Puma performed without issue when running out on the road although we noted a slight rattle on the back-box/exhaust.

The engine bay showed well, although could benefit from a clean to bring it back to its former glory. There were signs of oil around the left hand side of the engine on our visit, along with mention of an oil leak on the previous MOT.

We took the car out around some local roads with the current owner to get a better feel for what this vehicle is all about. On the drive, we ran through the gears and got an overview from Mike's perspective on how the car performs. Watch the video to see the car in action.

Suspension and Brakes

The stiffened sports suspension of the Ford Racing Puma is tight but manageable, while providing excellent cornering ability it is far from uncomfortable. We noticed no issues with the suspension on the day. On our visit, we did note there were signs of corrosion on the underside, although, these were in line with the mileage and age of the car. The brakes in the Racing Puma felt great, with no noticeable vibrations during the journey, allowing the car to come to a firm stop.

We cover the underside of the Ford further in our 'Mechanical gallery' section. Head over to our video section where we've summarised our visit in more detail for you to view for yourself. We take you around the mechanical elements of the car and give you an overview of what's on offer here.

The Drive

Ford’s significant investment in the Racing Puma’s handling led to a high price tag and limited production run, but the results speak for themselves. From the moment you drive it, the precision steering, outstanding road feel, and superb cornering make it clear that every penny was worth it. The Racing Puma remains one of the best-handling cars of its era.

Electrics and Other

During our time with the car we noticed no electrical faults, with all lights both interior and exterior working as they should. All dashboard lights turned off upon starting as expected, and all dials and gauges were functioning without issue.

Mike let us know that he's had no issues with the electrical elements on the car, and that everything should be working correctly to the best of his knowledge.

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Video #2

History and Paperwork

With just ~500 ever produced and fewer than ~300 believed to still be on the road, this is a drivers example coming to market from ~13 year ownership with just 2 former keepers.

This example comes from ~13 years ownership with Mike, it has remained largely original since new with no major modifications. There has been limited major works carried out on the car over its years although notably, in 2010, the head gasket, head bolts and a new fuel pump were replaced at a cost of over ~£750.

Previously, there have been works completed on corrosion notes where the rear bumper, rear lamps, door trims and handles were treated and paint blending, corrosion restorative works on both rear wings and sill seams were completed and refinishing of these areas carried out. For the paint and body material costs here, over ~£1,000 was spent in October 2011.

Inner arch covers were replaced in May 2011 and Caliper pistons with Alcon seal kit was updated in February 2011 costing over ~£470. New wheel bearing kit, hub re-assembly and front brake discs works were actioned in September 2010 costing over ~£600. A replacement clutch was installed along with 2 new tyres in 2003 and new front brake pads were fitted in 2002.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
19.08.2024 MOT 171,903
05.01.2023 MOT 168,070
20.10.2021 MOT 165,784
12.05.2020 MOT 164,292
24.09.2018 MOT 159,923
16.06.2017 MOT 158,249
08.06.2016 MOT 144,306
10.06.2015 MOT 137,099
16.05.2014 MOT 119,700
07.06.2013 MOT 102,125
26.04.2012 MOT 86,262
18.05.2011 MOT 73,306
25.09.2010 Wheel Bearing & Front Discs
22.05.2010 MOT 61,490
13.01.2009 MOT 48,978
04.01.2008 MOT 44,381
08.01.2007 MOT 42,907
08.02.2003 New Clutch Fitted 17,230
28.11.2002 Service 17,230
29.10.2002 NSR Wheel Bearing 16,500
Service 9,491
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Key Details
  • ModelRacing Puma
  • Transmission5-Speed Manual
  • Reg. Date30.11.1999
  • CC1,679
  • Mileage~174,498
  • ColourImperial Blue
  • Interior ColourBlack/Blue
  • Interior TrimFabric
  • Chassis #WFOCXXGAECXJ14153
  • Engine #XJ14153
  • Matching #sYes
  • MOTYes. Exp 18.08.25
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers2
  • Tyre BrandFiremax
  • Tyre Age2014 / 2016
  • # of Keys2
  • CO2 (g/km)178
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~13 years, 2 months
  • Key FeatureRare model, keen reserve
  • Auction ID2398
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Video #2

All Images

Exterior

Interior

Mechanics

History and Paperwork

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Vehicle Location

Great Dunmow

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    Insurance Quote


    Average annual insurance premium for a Racing Puma like this is £TBC via our trusted partner ClassicLine.
    GET AN INSURANCE QUOTEAnd get 10% off when you mention us.

    *Quote is based on a garaged vehicle in CV32 5QY (Leamington Spa), travelling 3,000 miles per year, 1 driver who is 45 years of age and is free on accidents and convictions – valid Winter 2025.

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    Vehicle Location

    Great Dunmow

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