Matra-Simca, 1974, Bagheera

Matra-Simca Bagheera, 1974

Matra-Simca Bagheera (1973-1980): an unconventional sports car. The Bagheera was a compact coupé built from 1973 to 1980 by French Matra in collaboration with Simca (part of the Chrysler Europe group at the time). While Matra enjoyed numerous sporting successes on racetracks around the world, the same could not be said for road production, with the 530 model struggling to achieve adequate sales figures. So it was that the idea of producing a new model emerged, and to keep costs down, the company found a commercial ally in Simca. In 1973, the Bagheera was born, named after the black panther in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, symbolising its elegance and agility. It was a great commercial success, with over 47,000 units produced, sometimes considered a ‘little Ferrari’ due to its sleek design, despite having lower performance and a more popular audience. Its price at the time of its launch in 1973 was around 23,000 French francs, equivalent to about $3,500 to $4,000 at the time.
It was equipped with a four-cylinder engine derived from the Simca 1100 Ti in a central and transverse position for better weight distribution, a solution only pioneered at the time by the Lamborghini Miura. Initially with 1.3 litres and 84 hp, later increased to 1.4 litres with 90 hp in the second series.
The body was made of fibreglass panels and aerodynamically designed to guarantee a top speed of over 180 kilometres per hour. The interior configuration was the Bagheera's distinguishing feature, presenting a truly unique idea: three front seats side by side, instead of the classic two, making it one of the few sports cars with this solution. The cockpit was equipped with aircraft-style instrumentation. In 1980, the Matra-Simca Bagheera went out of production and was replaced by the Matra Murena, which retained the three seats side-by-side concept but with an improved construction to solve corrosion problems.

VERSIONS - Bagheera S (1976): Upgraded with 90 hp, new trim and cosmetic improvements. Bagheera X (prototype): An experimental version with a more powerful engine, never entered production. Bagheera Series 2 (1976-1980): A restyling that introduced aerodynamic improvements and a new, more modern dashboard.

The Bagheera was used for promotional events related to Simca and Matra, becoming a style icon of the time. Today it is a collector's car, although finding well-preserved examples is difficult due to the rust affecting the steel chassis, which unfortunately suffered from corrosion problems.
CURIOSITY: Matra made a hybrid prototype based on the Bagheera back in 1974, called the Matra Bagheera Diesel Électrique.

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