Tag Archives: Talbot

Minivan SUV – Talbot Matra Rancho

Having established it’s sports car credentials with Simca on the collaborative Bagheera, Matra’s next joint effort with Simca was to build a front wheel drive off road version of the little 5 door Simca 1100 hatchback which became known as the Rancho.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The design used the front end of the front wheel drive Simca 1100 fourgonette van with an extended chassis on to which Matra’s fibreglass and polyester body, designed by Antonis Volanis, was grafted.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

Unusually the vehicle had three rows of seats not unlike later popular minivans, the interior was largely taken directly from the Simca 1100 parts bins including seats and instrumentation.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The car’s ground clearance was raised for off road use and an 80 hp 1.4 litre / 87.9 cui version of the Poissey engine shared with the Simca 1307 and Matra Bagheera models was fitted.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

The Matra Simca was launched in 1977 and was rebranded Talbot Matra Rancho in 1979 after Peugeot merged Chrysler Europe’s brands into it’s portfolio, in all 57,792 Rancho’s were built with Minivan SUV, as seen here, detachable canvas and commercial van bodie styles until 1985 when the model was discontinued.

Talbot Matra Rancho, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham,

Matra went on to develop a Minivan with three row’s of seats for it’s next concept which Peugeot turned down but Renault accepted with open arms leading Matra to becoming part of the Renault industrial complex and the launch of the Renault Espace in 1984.

Thanks for joining me on this “Minivan SUV” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Galvanised Chassis Frame – Talbot Matra Murena

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Arguably the most attractive of the sports cars to emerge from Matra’s Romorantin plant was the Murena which replaced the Bagheera, both designed by Antonis Volanis, in 1980.

Talbot Matra Murena, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

The Murena used the same chassis as the Bagheera but it differed crucially in now being made from galvanized steel so that it did not rot as the chassis of the Bagheera was renowned for.

Talbot Matra Murena, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Inside the new fibreglass-polyester body there was a row of three seats for the driver and two passengers and the engine was mid mounted both features as per Bagheera.

Talbot Matra Murena, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Two engine sizes were available 70hp 1.6 litre / 97 cui from the Talbot Solara saloon and 115 hp 2.2 litre / 134 cui with a heavy cast iron block from the Talbot Togara saloon the later being available with single or twin carburetors which boosted the power to 142hp.

Talbot Matra Murena, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

Production of the Murena only lasted from 1980 to 1983 by which time Renault, to whom Matra were about switch allegiance from Talbot part of the Peugeot Société Anonyme group, asked Matra to desist from building any more Murena’s.

Talbot Matra Murena, Avenue Drivers Club, Queen Square, Bristol

In all 10,680 Murena’s were built before Matra’s Romorantin plant switched to building Renault Espace mini vans.

Thanks for joining me on this “Galvanised Chassis Frame” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Baby Urraco – Matra Simca Bagheera

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After Matra entered an agreement with Chrysler Europe to distribute it’s Ford V4 powered 530 through the Simca dealer network in 1969 the two companies agreed to work on a new Chrysler Simca powered replacement which became the Matra Simca Bagheera which was launched in 1973.

Matra Simca Bagheera, Classic Motorshow, NEC, Birmingham

Designed by Antonis Volanis the Bagheera, named after Rudyard Kiplings panther character in The Jungle Book, retained the mid engine layout of it’s 530 and Djet antecedents, but unusually featured three seats abreast in the cockpit.

Matra Simca Bagheera, Classic Motorshow, NEC, Birmingham

Originally the Bagheera was powered by an 84 hp 1294 cc / 78.9 cui 4 cylinder engine, sourced from the Simca 1100 TI 5 door hatchback, which gave the car a top speed of 101 mph, in 1975 a Bagheera S with a 90 bhp version of the Simca 1308 1442cc / 87.9 cui engine raised the top speed up to 109 mph. Three prototype Bagheera’s were built with two transverse engines driving a common prop shaft to make a U configuration, as seen on the Bugatti T45, but never got beyond the evaluation stage

Matra Simca Bagheera, Classic Motorshow, NEC, Birmingham

British motoring LJK Streight was so impressed with the Bagheera when he tested it that he likened it to a “baby Lamborghini Urraco”, the only downside to the model was that the steel chassis beneath the fibre glass body had no rust protection and was prone to rot.

Matra Simca Bagheera, Classic Motorshow, NEC, Birmingham

The Bagheera’s body was updated in 1976 and the interior in 1978, the model seen here at the Classic Motor Show was built in 1979, in July 1979 the model was rebranded as a Talbot Matra Bagheera, and was first registered in the UK in April 1984.

In all 47,802 Bagheeras were built between 1973 and 1980 when the model was replaced by the Talbot Matra Murena a model I shall be looking at next Tuesday.

Thanks for joining me on this “Baby Urraco” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham. Don’t forget to come back now !

Super Saturday Winners – Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic

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Today’s post features all the winners on Super Saturday of the Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic Meeting, after an aqueous qualification day Saturday emerged as a beautiful sunny.

Lotus, Sam Wilson, Lotus Andrew Hibberd, Silverstone Classic

The action kicked of with the Historic Formula Junior race which was won by the blue #53 Lotus 20/22 driven by Sam Wilson, from 2nd on the grid, seen above being challenged by 4th place starter and 8th place finisher Andrew Hibberd’s red #79 Lotus 22 going into Copse on the opening lap.

Stirling Moss Trophy, Silverstone Classic

Gregor Fisker did a great job driving, the GALPOT Banner car, #46 Ferrari 246S from fifth on the grid to the win he is seen above chasing 3 Knobbly Listers and a white stripped Costin Lister while being pursued by the #25 Lotus by A. Wolfe and I. Vercoutere on lap 5 of the 21 lap / 50 minute race.

Warwick Banks Trophy, Silverstone Classic,

Three Mini’s secured the top three spots for the Warwick Banks Trophy race in the wet conditions, however they were soon swamped by more powerful Lotus Cortinas, BMWs and Alfa Romeos after the start. Richard Meaden in the #63 Lotus Cortina leads coming out of Village above on the opening lap while eventual winner triple British Touring car champion Matt Neal driving the #152 Lotus Cortina, he shared with 2012 British Touring Car Champion Gordon Shedden, has made up 7 places from 14th on the grid going into the third corner of the 50 minute / 18 lap race !

Kidston Trophy, Silverstone Classic

Andrew Hall driving the #69 Frazer Nash Supersports made a super start from 5th in The Kidston Trophy race for pre war sports cars to lead for a couple of corners before Gareth Burnett in the big green #52 Talbot 105 took command for the opening 7 laps of the race. A slick driver change helped Fredric Wakeman and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards take the lead and win the race in the #11 Frazer Nash Super Sports, seen on the extreme left of the photo above in third place.

Tyrrell 012, Martin Stretton, Silverstone Classic

Despite qualifying his #44 Tyrrell 012 nearly 5 seconds faster than Sam Hancock’s yellow #55 Fittipaldi F5A, Martin Stretton, seen above, had to eat Sam’s dust for three laps before pulling away to win the FIA Masters Historic Formula one race by just under 2 seconds.

Honda Dodd, Audi, Wrathall, Silverstone Classic,

12th place starter Frank Wrathall in the 1989 #39 Audi 80 Quattro is seen above lining up to overtake James Dodd driving the 1999 #1 Honda Accord for the lead which Frank would not relinquish on lap 4 of the Super Touring Car race.

Cooper T51, Harvey, Cooper T53, Nuthall, Silverstone Classic,

Racing an open wheeler for the first time since breaking his legs in a Formula Ford car early in his career was 1992 British Touring Car Champion Tim Harvey, who is seen above passing Will Nuttall in the #10 Cooper T53, for the lead on his way to winning the Maserati Trophy race driving Roger Wills #1 Cooper T51.

Jaguar, Nicholl-Jones, TVR, Whitaker, Silverstone Classic,

Mark Whitaker driving the #46 TVR Griffith starting 4th on the grid for the JET Trophy race had left the two Minis that qualified ahead of him way behind and as seen above already had pole sitter Matt Nicholl Jones #85 Jaguar E-type well in his sites as he exited Woodcote for the first time, Mark won the 9 lap race by nearly 18 seconds.

FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars, Silverstone Classic

Martin O’Connell driving the #4 Chevron B19 seen in second above never dropped out of the top 4 on his way to winning the FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars race from the #60 Lola T70 driven by Marino Franchitti and Richard Meaden seen above in 4th place.

Jaguar E-Type, Martin O'Connell, Silverstone Classic

There was little time for Martin to savour his victory as he had a pressing appointment on the 13th row of the grid to start the International Trophy race in his E-Type Jaguar, on lap 11 of the one hour 25 lap race he took the lead and stayed there to claim a second consecutive victory.

11 Nissan / Jaguar_9462sc

Steve Tandy starting from pole in his IMSA Spice, seen in a distant third above, held the lead on the opening lap of the evening Group C race but relinquished it to the #27 Nissan R91CK of Bob Berridge and #17 Jaguar XJR14 of Christophe D’Ansembourg, Bob held the lead for three laps before Christophe, seen in second place above, took the lead on the 4th lap and held on to it for the remainder of the race.

Thanks for joining me on this “Super Saturday Winners” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Mercury. Don’t forget to come back now !

Le Pole Again – Peugeot 905 EVO1 Bis LM #EV11

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In 1990 Peugeot Talbot Sport launched it’s 905 sports car programme to compete in the new 3.5 litre / 216 cui sports car class that was to commence in 1991.

The 905 was powered by a V10 motor with the two banks of cylinders inclinded at 80º and featured a carbon fibre monocoque engineered by the Dassault aerospace manufacturer.

Keke Rosberg and Jean-Pierre Jabouille shared a 905 for the last two races of the 1990 World Sports Prototype Championship with their only finish coming at Mexico where they finished 13th from 11th on the grid.

Peugeot 905 Evo 1 Bis LM, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

Mauro Baldi and Philippe Alliot won the opening round of the 1991 Sportscar World Championship at Suzuka from 4th on the grid driving a 905, but there after the 905’s reliability nose dived as they tried to keep up with the much faster Jaguar XJ14.

After both 905’s retired before the four hour mark from the 1991 Le Mans 24 hours the cars were heavily revised with a more powerful engine supported by a more sophisticated aero package that include two rear wings and the option for a front wing.

Magny Cours and Mexico saw the heavily revised cars score 1-2 victories with Keke Rosberg and Yannick Dalmas leading Phillipe Alliot and Mauro Baldi home on both occasions, but too late to prevent Jaguar and Teo Fabi from winning the Manufacturers and Drivers Championships.

Peugeot 905 Evo 1 Bis LM, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

Jaguar withdrew from the sport at the end of 1991 leaving Peugeot, Yannick Dalmas and Jaguar refugee Derek Warwick to claim the 1992 World Sportscar Manufacturers and share the Drivers titles, the teams only opposition in the six race series came from Toyota who only won the opening round.

With little manufacturer support the 1993 World Sportscar series was cancelled and the 905’s only two appearances were at the Le Mans Test weekend where, Philippe Alliot and Mauro Baldi were quickest and at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The paintwork on today’s featured car suggests that this might be the chassis, #EV11, which was used as a spare car in the last two races of the 1990 season and was then not seen again until the 1993 Le Mans 24 hours where it appeared in EVO 1 Bis LM spec for Philippe Alliot, Mauro Baldi and Jean-Pierre Jabouille who qualified on pole, as the same trio had done a year earlier driving chassis #EV16.

Peugeot 905 Evo 1 Bis LM, Goodwood, Festival of Speed,

The 1993 Le Mans 24 Hour race proved to be a walkover for the Peugeot team who finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd with Philippe, Mauro and Jean-Pierre in third place exactly as they had been in 1992.

Thanks for joining me on this “Le Pole Again” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be running through all the podium finishers from this years thrilling Le Mans 24 Hours race. Don’t forget to come back now !

Irascible Swiss Perfectionism – Talbot AV 105 #31054

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At the 1926 London Motor Show Talbot presented it’s new 1665 cc / 101 cui six cylinder 4 seat sports touring car the 14-45 designed by it’s Swiss Automotive Engineer Georges Roesch.

Roesch who was described as an irascible perfectionist, over saw the development of the 20-70 variant of the 14-45 which used the same engine block given larger cylinder bores and strokes with a capacity 2,276 cc / 138 cui that was launched in 1930.