Puma (Kit Car)

Puma di Adriano Gatto was an Italian automobile manufacturer that manufactured kit cars under the Puma brand from 1972 to the 1990s in Setticamini near Rome ; the first was called Gatto Spider Spiaggia and was derived from the American beach buggy. In addition to the owner Adriano Gatto, there was another important man in the company, Domenico Lombardi , a young technician who helped develop all the models. The company's head office was in Via Tiburtina in Rome. Beach buggies and other off-road vehicles were created, later sports cars, as well as stylistic and mechanical tuning kits for the VW Beetle .

Models

Seven models were designed by Gatto and Lombardi.

Gatto Spider Spiaggia

This was a classic beach buggy on a VW chassis, which was powered by a four-cylinder boxer engine from VW with a displacement of 1192 cm³ . The body was made of fiberglass . The kit was very successful in the market because its quality was high and the price was affordable.

Puma (1973)

This car was a further development of the Gatto Spider Spiaggia. It sat on a shortened VW chassis and was powered by the same VW engine as its predecessor. There were different versions. The GT variant had a slightly more aggressive-looking body and, on request, a hardtop with gullwing doors . This meant that it could be considered a year-round car. In the 1974 film "Zwei wie Pech und Schwefel", the leading actors Bud Spencer and Terence Hill drive a Puma.

Puma GTV (1979)

The coupe GTV presented in 1979 was the Italian version of the Nova in Great Britain . The design was by Richard Oakes and provided for a pulpit that could be folded down to the front. This car on a VW chassis also had a VW boxer engine, but was drilled out by Lombardi to a capacity of 1385 cm³ so that it could deliver a performance corresponding to the sporty body.

Puma Ranch

This car was inspired by the Jeep Wrangler, but showed a completely different technical concept than this one, since - like its predecessors - it had the engine at the rear and the trunk at the front. The chassis was based on ideas from Lombardi and was powered by the same 1.4 liter boxer engine as the Gtv. A 1.6 liter version was also available on request; the body was again made of GRP. At that time, the ranch was the only Italian off-road vehicle ( Fiat and Alfa Romeo had long since stopped manufacturing their off-road vehicles).

Puma GTV 1200 o 033 (1984)

The 2nd series GTV had a different body and a new engine. The muzzle was shorter than in the first series, the rear a little more angular and the sides rounded at the bottom, as in contemporary racing cars. The more aggressive body line was not well received by customers; the smooth lines of the 1st series were more popular. It was therefore decided to use a longer snout and rectangular headlights so that the car was more like the GTV of the first series. The car was powered by a water-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine from Alfa Romeo with a displacement of 1186 cm³, which replaced the old air-cooled VW engine. The higher engine power ensured better driving performance. The 2nd series remained in production until 1991, when the 3rd series was presented.

Puma Boxer 90 (1991)

The successor to the GTV no longer had the sensual body lines of its predecessor and no longer had the swiveling cockpit. Instead, it had two double doors, an equally unusual solution. The body shapes were still aggressive and it was better equipped inside. The more complex structure forced many customers to buy the car fully assembled instead of assembling it themselves. It was equipped with a four-cylinder boxer engine from Alfa Romeo with a displacement of 1490 cm³, which also increased its output.

The end

The prototype Puma 248 shown in 1993 was to be the successor to the Boxer 90. The car had a new chassis and leather interior. However, in the same year a fire in the factory hall, which also destroyed the prototype, put an end to the Puma brand. Gatto decided not to take up the construction of kit cars anymore, as Italy also tightened the laws for this type of car. An extensive and expensive type approval was now required, which some small series manufacturers could not afford. After that, the brand's enthusiasts came together in various clubs. In Italy, Puma Club Italy and Puma Club Monza are the largest.