Its chassis was the first production car ever built entirely galvanised, a direct fix for the Bagheera it replaced rusting through.
Lead trim: Murena 1.6 1,592 cc Poissy ohv four (91 hp) · up to 116 hp
Matra Murena 1.6 / 2.2M551/M552 · 1980–1983
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Matra Murena 1.6 / 2.2 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactIts chassis was the first production car ever built entirely galvanised, a direct fix for the Bagheera it replaced rusting through.
The Matra Murena is a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car produced from 1980 through 1983 by Matra at Romorantin-Lanthenay (also called the Talbot-Matra Murena), the successor to the Bagheera; development ran under the project names M551 (1.6-litre) and M552 (2.2-litre). It kept the Bagheera's mid-engined layout and hatchback shape while addressing its lack of power, missing 5-speed option and rust-prone chassis: the chassis was new and, the first production car to do so, entirely galvanised, with twelve fibreglass-epoxy body panels (drag coefficient 0.328), three separate seats in one row and semi-trailing-arm coil-spring rear suspension. It drew on the corporate parts bin, with engines from the Talbot Solara and Tagora, a transaxle developed by Citroën for the CX (or, depending on model year, the Lancia Beta), Talbot Horizon taillamps, Renault 12 indicators and Peugeot 505 door handles, and was built only in left-hand drive. The 1981 model-year Murena 1.6 began in November 1980 with a 1,592 cc Poissy ohv four of 92 PS (91 hp) at 5600 rpm, 132 N·m (97 lb-ft) at 3200 rpm, 9.35:1 compression and a top speed of 182 km/h (113.1 mph); the 2.2 followed a few months later with the 2,155 cc Type 180 SOHC four of 118 PS (116 hp) at 5800 rpm, 181 N·m (133 lb-ft) at 3000 rpm, 9.45:1 compression and 197 km/h (122.4 mph). Production ended in July 1983 when the factory switched to the first Renault Espace: 5,640 Murena 1.6 and 4,560 Murena 2.2 (10,680 with the 480 Murena S). Wheelbase 2,435 mm (95.9 in), length 4,070 mm (160.2 in), width 1,745 mm (68.7 in), height 1,220 mm (48.0 in).
Collectors Spotted in the Matra Murena Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Matra Murena yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murena 1.6 1,592 cc Poissy ohv four (91 hp) | 1980–1983 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 91 hp | 97 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Murena 2.2 2,155 cc Type 180 SOHC four (116 hp) | 1981–1983 | 2.2 L Inline-4 | 116 hp | 133 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The last 480 Murenas built came only as the S, factory-fitted with the dealer-option 142 PS twin-carb engine other Murenas had to add later.
Its chassis was the first production car ever built entirely galvanised, a direct fix for the Bagheera it replaced rusting through.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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