The last time I tried to find a Rough Start car in Europe I ended up frustrated, sorting through Renaults and Peugeots and deciding that I’d rather hunt for a car in the middle of Nebraska first. Since I’m here I decided to give it another shot, just to see what I could possibly find. Other than changing the monetary symbol from dollars to pounds, I’m going to stick with the same rules as I do in the States. The problem I considered: after seeing what actually works for a car for the majority of the population, would I be able to find anything I might consider useable, or would I go page after page looking for something, only to just back away from the computer and walk down to the bar for a mind eraser?
Well, it took quite a few pages, but considering what was out there, if I absolutely had to stay within the Rough Start limits, I would go for this 1999 Ford Puma 1.7i. If it looks slightly familiar, it shouldn’t. A lot of people confuse the Puma with the Mercury Cougar built between 1999-2002. The Cougar was built off of the same mechanicals as the Ford Contour, while the Puma has more in common with the Fiesta. It used the same Zetec engines that came in the Fiesta and Focus, and only got a manual transmission. When set up right these little Fords were excellent little pocket racers, and it won’t break the bank on fuel if you can keep your foot out of it.
This Puma has a lot going for it. Most households only have one car around here, and the owner is preparing to welcome a new ride, so he’s punting the old one out onto the street. There are no major issues noted, and there aren’t even any minor ones listed either. The pictures show a decent used car for the money and at £500, if it runs and drives it’d be gone in half a second. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but then again it isn’t a UK Ford Fusion either (look that little penalty box up. Yikes.) So, what will you do to it with the remaining £4500?
Add boost!
Not sure what I feel about the Zetec motor. Driven a mild stock one in an Escort ZX2 5-speed and it was a good little motor but not very sporty. Drove an SVT Focus with the 170hp Zetec and 6-speed, and that was quite an improvement. Still though the Zetec isn’t a rev-happy motor. Still, there is a guy in my area with a 450+hp (turbo’d) Focus SVT so it must have potential.
Another affordable set of Euro-wheels is the first-gen Ford Ka, which is basically a road-going go-cart.
I’d stick a Focus SVT motor in there.
Interesting looking critter; looks like they won’t be something I could import to the US until 2022.
At least you’re unlikely to get stuck with an automatic transmission, they’re pretty rare there.
Shifting with the left hand could throw you off, but I didn’t have any trouble with that during a three week road trip in Britain.
Shifting w the wrong hand sucks. Just remember, STAY LEFT. Make it fast, show those maddafakas how we do it on the other side of the Atlantic!