Puma was a Brazilian specialist car
manufacturer who built cars between 1964 and around 1993. High
import tariffs effectively closed Brazil during much of this period to foreign-built cars, and the
vehicles available to the average Brazilian were limited to those built in Brazil either by foreign
manufacturers, such as Volkswagen and General Motors, who established Brazilian manufacturing plants,
and the products of local companies.
The origin of what was to become the Puma
was the DKW-Malzoni, built by Rino Malzoni of Matao in
Sao Paulo state from around 1964. Malzoni was a keen auto racer and began building his own competition
cars based around a DKW straight-3 two-stroke engine with a light, fiberglass-skinned bodyshell. The
cars began to sell in quantities larger than he himself could build, and Malzoni founded a company with
a group of other auto enthusiasts. Production at first was around 35 cars a year, increasing to more
than a hundred within a couple of years.
1967 saw DKW bought out by Volkswagen and the Brazilian production of DKWs ceased. With no DKW engine
available, a new car was designed, based around the rear-engined, air-cooled Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
sold in Brazil. The car was named Puma GT and the company was likewise renamed, and it sold relatively
well for a specialist sports car.
A convertible version, the GT Spyder (GTS), was
added in around 1970 and cars began to be exported around
that date, to other South American countries, North American and Europe. Many of the exported vehicles
were kit cars - actually substantially complete bodyshells, but lacking engine, transmission, axles,
wheels and other mechanical parts. All cars sold in Brazil were complete.
Another model, the Puma GTB, used a
front-mounted Chevrolet straight-6; this model was not exported.
VW stopped production of the Karmann
Ghia in Brazil during the mid 1970s, and the car was switched
to take from the Volkswagen Brasilia instead (GTI & GTC). Pumas began to be assembled in South Africa around this
time. Bodywork was restyled in 1977.
The 1980s saw harsh economic times in
Brazil, and this hit Puma hard. In 1985, the rights to the Puma
were sold; a year later, they were sold again. Production continued in small numbers, but the opening of
the Brazilian market to foreign cars in the early 1990s was the final blow, The last commercialized Puma
was a AM4.
In 2006 the Puma started limited production again in South Africa. For more information please visit
Puma Cars
Article compliments of Wikipedia, with some additions by me
Puma Timeline
Bill Jackameit's Write Up:
The Puma is a Volkswagen based specialty
sports car built in Brazil. Strict Brazilian regulations which restricted imports to encourage domestic
automobile production led to the development of the Puma and other specialty vehicles.
Production began
in 1964 using DKW components, with a switch to VW components in 1967. This necessitated a change from
front engine, front wheel drive to rear engine, rear wheel drive. The first Pumas were built strictly
for racing, but it was not long before they were being built for street use.
Pumas were sporadically
imported to the U.S. during the 1970's and 1980's. Although the Puma was not designed as a kit car, the
cars were imported in kit form. The "kit" was actually a complete car less the front suspension,
transaxle, engine, wheels, and tires. The missing components were available from the distributor, or
the buyer could supply the needed parts. Less restrictive regulations permitted the importation and
marketing of complete cars in Canada.
Pumas were also popular in South Africa,
and an assembly plant was
established there. Exports to Europe were limited to small numbers through a distributor in Switzerland.
Puma built some front engine rear wheel
drive models based on Brazilian Chevrolet components, but these were not exported.
Once the Brazilian market was opened to imports, the domestic market for the Puma
declined significantly. The original Puma company went into receivership in the mid-1980's, and
production ended for a time. Production of both the VW and Chevrolet based models resumed when the
Araucaria company bought the machinery and tooling. After a short period, production was taken over by
Alfa Metais. A few rear engine Pumas with water cooled VW engines were made during the final years of
production, but sales of these were low.
Over 22,000 Puma automobiles were produced over the life of the
marque. Puma also produced a line of special bodied light trucks, which continued in production after
Puma automobile production ended.
