The number of ideas that are being implemented in the automotive world is staggering. While the big players have written most of the automotive history, deep in the sidelines there are stories of small and sometimes truly eccentric projects.
The Brazilian Puma is a chapter in the automotive history book that has remained largely unknown. So to see a Puma GTE in a altered is in the recent ‘To Hell’ position in Germany blew me away. The unique sports car, thrown to the ground, spoke to my nerdy nature; I had to know more.
I had seen the car on social media but didn’t know what it was. The round headlights reminded me of the original Lotus Europa. The sleek and low silhouette reminded me of an Italian Berlinetta from the 60s. And the small dimensions made me think it could be a classic Abarth sports car.
A closer, personal look revealed design cues from the Lamborghini Miura; the shape of the upper door sections and the inward-tapering rear are two such details. Looking back at Puma’s history, the Miura is indeed cited as an inspiration for the GTE.
But the similarities between the Puma GTE and the cars mentioned above begin and end with these clues.
The Puma story began in Brazil in the early 1960s with Italian-born designer Rino Malzoni. Using a German DKW chassis supplied by Veículos e Máquinas Agrícolas SA (DKW-Vemag) – DKW’s Brazilian agent – Malzoni created a fibreglass-bodied sports car for motorsport. Following success in 1963 and 1964, the 1965 GT Malzoni road car was born – still with DKW chassis.
A year later, the Malzoni brand became Puma, and the Puma GT – essentially a refined version of the Malzoni GT – made its debut. About 125 cars were produced.
When Volkswagen bought DKW-Vemag in 1967, Puma had to make a change. Malzoni spent over a year adapting his glass-fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) body design to VW’s Karmann Ghia chassis. The wheelbase was shortened, but Volkswagen’s air-cooled flat-four engine was retained. The Puma GTE was launched in 1970, and other variants were produced and updates were introduced in the years that followed. Fun fact: The ‘E’ in the Puma GTE stands for ‘Export’.
This 1976 GTE came to Germany in 2017. Pascal Klein – also known as Mr. Wyld – the current owner – purchased the car in a restored condition in 2020 and began adding personal touches the following year.
Pascal had previously built a very low VW Beetle, so he was intrigued by the Volkswagen-backed Puma GTE when he heard about it from a friend. The Beetle was sold and the new project began.
The idea for the build was relatively simple. Since it was a unique car with exotic styling and irreplaceable body panels, the exterior would remain largely stock. However, the suspension, fenders, wheels, and interior would all be modified.
The GTE roofline is standard below 1.2 meters. With air suspension and a small body modification, Pascal hoped to lower it to below 1 meter. With 15-inch Work Equip 03 wheels mounted via hub adapters and with the suspension fully inflated, a roof height of just 99 cm (40 inches) has been achieved. That’s just crazy!
Equally crazy are the rear wheel specs for this little car, which are 15×10 inches. The dish sizes are huge and the fit is perfect. The JDM wheels add an extra layer of mystery for anyone who doesn’t know what a Puma GTE is. I’m sure that’s most of us.
Looking inside the car, the first things you notice are the air-suspension tank and the revised hard lines mounted high in the rear of the cabin, but the interior has been given a major overhaul throughout.
All the factory red accents have been replaced with black ones and new front seats have been fitted, although they look as though they could be original. The wood panel over the dashboard is a custom piece that matches the tone of the classic Nardi wooden steering wheel. Everything except the air suspension feels completely in keeping with the age and design of the car.
Since Pascal finished the Puma, he has taken it to events all over Europe, even winning the German stop of that year in 2022 Hot Wheels Legends Tour.
The modifications to Pascal’s Puma GTE are simple but well thought out. What I appreciate most is that he has not been afraid to modify a very rare machine.
It’s only been a minute, but I’m already looking forward to my next encounter with this crazy little sports car that’s part German, part Brazilian, and part Italian designed.
Steve Edward
Instagram: stevedore
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