The
Matra Bagheera is a
sports car created by the
French engineering group
Matra in cooperation with the automaker
Simca and design by
Greek designer Antonis Volanis. It was actually even marketed as
Matra-Simca Bagheera to highlight the link, except for the final production year 1980, when it was re-badged
Talbot-Matra Bagheera after
Chrysler Europe's demise and subsequent takeover by
PSA. Named after the
panther from
The Jungle Book, the Bagheera was created using stock Simca components, including the engines, gearbox and suspension elements, but unlike the Simca cars it shared them with, it was a
mid-engined car (the Simcas in question,
Simca 1100 and
Simca 1307, were
front-wheel drive).
The Bagheera's body was made of
polyester, mounted on a steel structure. It was formed in the shape of a sleek
hatchback, with a rear hatch that allowed access to the engine mounted behind the passenger compartment. There was only one row of seats, but it featured an unusual combination of three abreast. The Bagheera remains one of the few three-passenger sports cars.
When launched in 1973, the Bagheera was only available with the 1.3 L
straight-4 engine, belonging to Simca's
Type 315 engine family. In 1975, the range was complemented by a 1.5 L version of the same engine. In 1976, the Bagheera underwent a major restyling, with basically only the rear hatch unchanged (Bagheera type II). Another...
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