Just one day after our report, the 2023 Ford Puma ST Powershift has been officially unveiled, combining the most powerful version of the 1.0-liter mild-hybrid engine with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, as an alternative to the 1.5-liter manual variant of the hot SUV.
Starting with the powertrain, the turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost with the 48V system has been tuned to produce 168 hp (125 kW / 170 PS) and 248 Nm (182.9 lb-ft) of torque. Those figures are the highest among all other variants of the same engine, even though they can’t match the 197 hp (147 kW / 200 PS) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of the non-electrified 1.5-liter EcoBoost in the Puma ST.
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In order to achieve an increase of around 10% in power compared to the lesser Puma ST-Line, Ford engineers tweaked the powertrain’s software while enhancing the mild-hybrid system. More specifically, the 48-volt lithium-ion battery is recharging faster, allowing the belt-driven integrated starter/generator (BISG) to boost torque in lower engine rpm and add up to 10 hp (7 kW / 10 PS) of extra power for longer periods of time when needed.
The seven-speed dual-clutch Powershift transmission which sends the power to the front axle has also been optimized for improved performance. It now allows triple downshifts through the dedicated paddles, and holds gears for longer when “Sport” drive mode is selected. At the same time, it adds Stop & Go function to the optionally available Adaptive Cruise Control, and enables the Remote Start feature.
As for the performance credentials, the Puma ST Powershift accelerates from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 7.4 seconds, which makes it a full 1.6 seconds quicker than the ST-Line, and only 0.6 seconds slower than the manual and more powerful ST. Ford suggests that the new model has a fuel consumption of 6.3 l/100km (37 mpg) and emits 144 g/km CO2, making it incrementally more economical and cleaner compared to the ST with the larger engine.
Setting aside the new powertrain, the 2023 Puma ST Powershift is sharing the sporty chassis and features of the Puma ST that has been around since 2020. The version-specific suspension setup includes force vectoring springs, Hitachi twin-tube frequency-reactive dampers, a thicker front anti-roll bar, and a twist-beam rear axle. Those are combined with a quicker steering ratio, stronger brakes, and active exhaust valve.
Interestingly, there are not any visual changes on the Puma ST Powershift compared to the regular Puma ST, as it shares the sporty bodykit and the Magnetite-finished 19-inch alloy wheels. This means that the way to tell them apart is to check out the gear shifter inside the cabin or have a look under the bonnet. For 2023, the automaker added a new Azura Blue exterior shade to the color palette, that can be optionally combined with a gloss black roof. Standard equipment includes the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a wireless charging pad, sport seats upholstered in Sensico synthetic leather, parking sensors, and the Ford MegaBox under the boot floor.
While the official press release doesn’t mention pricing, we know that the Ford Puma ST Powershift with the mild-hybrid 1.0-liter powertrain will be slightly cheaper than the manual version with the non-electrified but more powerful 1.5-liter engine.
