ROMA – An extreme challenge against yourself. To underline the sportiness characteristics of the Puma ST, the first Ford Performance SUV for Europe, the manufacturer of the blue oval has organized an original competition. On the British circuit of Brands Hatch, the Puma ST and the Puma RC met in an exciting race against time, the compact 200 hp SUV driven by rally star Louise Cook and a perfect miniature radio-controlled (RC) clone in scale 1. / 10 driven by professional RC pilot Lee Martin. The full-size Puma ST can drive the 1.9-kilometer Brands Hatch Indy circuit in a record time of around 60 seconds, while the 1/10 scale Puma ST RC model must complete three laps of Brands Hatch’s kart track. 220 meters (an exact replica of the Indy circuit, including its challenging six corners). With a lap time of around 20 seconds for the “micro” Puma ST, the race required excellent performance from both the cars and the drivers, creating a breathtaking finish that worked in favor of the full-size version for a handful of tenths of a second. The model of the Puma ST RC, unique and customized, was made in 1/10 scale by Designworks specifically for the race, and is based on the Arc R12FF platform with a 402 W electric motor that allows it to reach a maximum speed of 80 km / h.
The Puma ST RC is front-wheel drive just like its “big sister” and its lightweight body is made of high impact polystyrene, using digital engineering data derived from the real car and a digitally controlled milling machine. All the details, including the wheels, exterior mirrors and wipers, have been meticulously 3D printed and even the Mean Green bodywork livery is identical to that of the production SUV, as it was painted with the same acrylic based paint. of water. “Driving the Puma ST for the first time was fantastic – declared Louise Cook, winner of the challenge – I didn’t know what to expect but it certainly didn’t feel like a crossover, more like a sports sedan and I had a lot of fun driving it on the Brands circuit. Hatch. I’m used to rallying with Ford, so it was nice to have a familiar and comfortable feeling of speed with the Puma ST ”. “This was a great opportunity to see a radio controlled car competing with a production car – added Lee Martin – The model was made to resemble the real car as closely as possible. It was front-wheel drive, had crossover bodywork and, like the Puma ST, it was really exciting to drive. The race was a lot of fun. Maybe next time, Louise and I can swap cars ”. Finally, Ford will launch an exciting new game for Instagram users at the end of the month that will allow Puma ST fans to experience the thrill of racing on the Brands Hatch circuit in digital mode. (maurilio rigo)
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