DRIVEN: Matra Murena 'Ooh la la!'

Yes, to celebrate two million channel views, I've actually driven something nice! But, don't worry. If ever there was a HubNut sports car, this is it. The engine is shared with the Chrysler 180 and Talbot Tagora, as they couldn't get a better one. The column stalks are Horizon, as are the rear lights (sort of). It seats three. It's marvellously French, but what is this tuned example like to drive?
Turn up your speakers and enjoy this Real Road Test. This is one unusual car that deserves wider recognition.

[@HubNut]

STICKERS NOW AVAILABLE ONCE MORE! hubnut.org/buy-hubnut-merch/

[@aaronbillingham4571]

I have ordered one of each size yay thankyou

[@mad3arber]

Ordered and paid for my suzuki jimny :)

[@HubNut]

Ah. There is only one size, but different delivery options. I shall send you two anyway. Thanks!

[@caw25sha]

0 products found in Bags and Stuff ☹

[@westcoast747]

Just ordered my first piece of merchandise, fantastic.

[@wanderinggentile]

Oh, that wonderful sound...you see, children, a long time ago you could make music with venturis and a surprisingly small number of camshafts and valves.

[@kgExige]

I bought a Murena 2.2 in 1983 as a replacement for my Fiat X1/9 1500, after I emigrated from the UK to Switzerland. It was fantastic. The only thing I missed was a targa roof - and a high-revving engine. Ifelt that an Alfa V6 would have been ideal. Nevertheless, with the 2.2 it was still able to cross Germany on the unrestricted autobahns at 200km/h (125 mph). As the father of two young kids, I sold it in 1993, but nostalgia got the better of me in 2011 and I bought an identical Murena 2.2 again. I found it was still a wonderful car that oozes character, though I used it too infrequently, so sold it again in 2013. The only car I've ever bought twice :))

[@pilou827]

Nice tribute!

[@frankabels5761]

Hello, I dont know, do you speak german? Das wäre einfacher für mich. Ich überlege mir einen zu kaufen. Spaß Auto für mich und meine Familie (3 sitze:-)) Hab da einen im Auge, 2,2 mlt frischem TÜV. Vielleicht können Sie mir was zum Fahrverhalten des Autos berichten?

[@kgExige]

@@frankabels5761 Das Auto ist sehr gutmutig. Hohe Grip aber natürlich ohne jeglicher moderne Systeme wie ABS, Airbags, ESC, unsw. Also, lieber keinen Unfall bauen! Ein Schwachpunkt ist die hintere (Stahl) Querlenker -achten auf Rost!

[@frankabels5761]

@@kgExige hey das ging schnell. Danke. Melde mich nochmal mit weiteren Fragen, ja😉

[@frankabels5761]

@@kgExige so noch eine Frage zum Motor. Hab irgendwo gelesen, dass es im Innenraum ziemlich warm werden soll...ist das so und wie ist das, läuft der Motor nicht zu schnell heiß?

[@Christerart1]

I've always loved Matra's - funky, irreverent, perfectly French...:)

[@12345678boss]

Best Comment of Matra

[@antman5474]

I didn't even know that existed until now, seriously stylish little motor. You've got to hand it to the Gauls, when it comes to styling they're way ahead of the pack.

[@lesrogers7310]

What a fabulous sound that engine makes. I just loooove the looks too. Matra really were very underrated.

[@misery13666]

Larger displacement, lower revving 4 cylinder engines, fed by side-drafts always sound brilliant!

[@howardlake6178]

I can remember those from childhood. I was always fascinated by Matra, due to the Rancho. I know it has upgraded carbs, but that sounds glorious! Scrub that. It sounds EPIC. I am going back through a lot of your videos, and clicking the like button as I didn’t know the significance until the last year or so. I hadn’t seen this one before 😀

[@Ewanm9389]

lol at 4:22 even the speedo decided to wake up, french cars, you gotta love em.

[@albertoascari2542]

We you look at it's age and it's vintage when escorts floors rotted out and BL roted from new after a few years I suppose you could say French cars were pretty good

[@alphatrion100]

It's a very old car and it's still on the road. Some things will break. Even on a toyota

[@isthereanybodyoutthere9397]

I had a R14TL which I miss hugely, and the speedo needle would vibrate like crazy until it warmed up. I assume it worked okay afterwards, but as you say it was French. It was a beaut too.

[@AndySnap]

A lovely stylish sports car, rather De Lorean-esque I think. Love the 80's upholstery, straight out of a French discotheque of the era. With cars like this, HubNut really is the rural Welsh/Cornish/English version of Petrolicious... oo la la.

[@richardgregory8964]

8:23 ♥ that sound! I love french cars!!

[@KarlAdamsAudio]

Delightful! That induction noise just says "go on - give it some welly", doesn't it?

[@michaelbaulcombe7677]

hi Ian, as already mentioned , I coveted the Matra Simca Bagheera back in the 70's when I was young and full of dreams. There was a garage near us here in the north east that exclusively sold Matra Ranchos and Bagheera's. Oh Happy days!

[@Mark1405Leeds]

The Bagheera had the 1294 Simca engine until 1976 when it was increased to 1442cc as used in the Simca 1307/Chrysler Alpine! Cool cars!

[@zebedep]

From the makers of the Rancho!! :D Another truly underrated car.

[@1SaG]

Yup ... the SUV that came about 30 years too early. But hey, I used to laugh at the Golf Country in the late 80s as well, so what do I know...? ;)

[@Howlingd0g]

That is an absolutely STUNNING motor. It's just so perfectly French, with every last corner oozing style and charm, right down to that wonderful pinstripe interior. I do seem to recall seeing a couple of these about a long time ago, so I'd say a few definitely made it across the channel! Fantastically throaty engine sounds... I'd probably trade a major organ to obtain one of these. I'd call him Chino if I did. (Metalheads will get it!)

[@fredericlegall690]

les sièges avec rayures sont sur les 2.2 de fin de séries ; les autres modèles de sièges 2.2 sont en velours capitonné . sur les modèles 1.6 les tissus sont différents .le châssis galvanisé est très solide .En France la Murena n'est pas très connue , on en voit très peu .Le moteur 2.2 est difficile à trouver car monté sur la Talbot Tagora peu vendue et disponible avec 3 moteurs différents. Je roule avec une 1.6 depuis 26 ans toujours le même plaisir. bonjour de France .

[@lakak4056]

Thank you, you just answered my question I saw a yellow Matra Bagheera in a local garage in the mid 70's now i know what it was!

[@gryfandjane]

An intriguing machine to be sure, and practically nonexistent here in the US. I've read several good articles on Matra, but this was the first time I've seen (and heard) one in action. Thanks!

[@rahmann936]

Great video of the Mantra, you driving it round those tight twisty country lanes with your running commentary made the video more exciting to watch 👌🙂

[@spainter1985]

Enjoyed seeing a pair of these at the NEC at the weekend. Great looking car I'd almost completely forgot about. Great induction noise from them carbs!

[@RETROCAM73]

Ian what a gorgeous sound omg I'd never get tired of that thanks mate awesome episode 👍🏻🙂👌🏻

[@mossy.48]

Matra sounds great on my surround sound system, and it does look like it shifts some. Nice car hubnut 👌

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

What a awesome video,that sounds so nice with the K&N filter on it, I have to watch it again, on the open road it goes very well.

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Super cool car, I hadn't heard of them before. Great job conveying what's it's like to drive one. That noise ...

[@RichieRouge206]

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the notification- I’ve always loved these gorgeous little cars. Never seen one in action so the drive was captivating. Great video Ian, made my day 👍🏼😎👌🏼

[@richwilliams9895]

Who else believes it’s about time the French made more cars like this today. The alpine has made a comeback but it’s fine time it had some competition. Come on Peugeot it’s your turn.

[@chucku00]

The person who was at the origin of Alpine's rebirth is Carlos Tavares, who is now the CEO of Peugeot. Since they have good financial results, even making money with Opel/Vauxhall (proving GM is a bunch of wankers) a mere year after buying it, some good things seem possible.

[@TheChill001]

@@chucku00 prays for an Opel speedster or calibra/manta revival, but given peugeot following the idiotic US trends of the day, I only see more dumb SUV's clogging up our streets.

[@onelyone6976]

@@chucku00 well Opel/Vauxhall were built on Peugeot platforms for a few years before GM sold them

[@chucku00]

@@onelyone6976 Opel and Vauxhall never used Peugeot platforms when the brands were owned by GM. You seem to conflate it with the fact some Opel or Vauxhall vans were built by Renault (Vivaro B was essentially a Renault Trafic/ Nissan NV300).

[@onelyone6976]

@@chucku00 at least the Crossland is built on a Peugeot platform, Insignia isn’t and not aware of the Grandland

[@harpsi8]

Fantastic and lefty as well. Beautiful motor music.

[@Stripeycat1000]

Wife AND mistress LOL!........never even heard tell of one until now....tidy motor great vid!

[@1SaG]

I used to covet that car so much when I was a little boy - perhaps not as much as a 911, but it was close. Years later I found out about a German Murena-owner who, back in the day, had been named the "unluckiest car owner" in a contemporary reliability-survey of a big car-magazine. There was a picture of him holding up an invoice with everything that had to be fixed/overhauled on his nearly brand new car. He had to hold the invoice (printed on dot-matrix-printer paper) above his head and it was still touching the ground. :D

[@alech8336]

What a rorty sounding little thing. Congratulations on the two million channel views. A real achievement, and the next two million will be along a lot quicker I suspect!

[@herrfister1477]

Looks surprisingly quick down those narrow lanes! Another brilliant video!

[@klwthe3rd]

I watched this video AFTER the 2018 NEC classic car show and Ian said that he had a review of these cars on his channel. These cars made an appearance at the show and now I'm learning more about them. WOOOOOHOOOOO loads of fun watching Hubnut driving all over the English Countryside!

[@richardagent1924]

I fell in love with the Bagheera, the earlier three seat Matra, so I went to Paris to buy one. I sat in it and it was perfect. "Get out." My brother said. "You can't have one." At six foot six my head was through the sunroof. For two seconds I thought who cares? Then for another second I though what about a plastic bubble? Then I realised it was never going to happen, and I came home disappointed

[@HighHoeKermit]

My brother has had 2 of these over the years... and the Bagheera before that.

[@robhosking9399]

I Love All Your Road Tests Ian! But This Test Of The Matra Murena Has To Be My Favourite So Far! What A Glorious Sound From that Engine! What An Exhaust Note! Considering The Murenas Short Production Time, 1980-1983 It Was A Slice Of The Most Poetic French Sports Car Charm! And It's Handling And Road Manners Impeccable. Always Had A Weakness For Matras. I Only Hope You Might Do A Road Test Of The Matra 530!!!!

[@FezzaYT]

I've always been intrigued by these. There a few around here. Have often been quite tempted to buy one!

[@MikeyMack303]

A great car! And a superb sounding engine!

[@oilburner225]

I once had a Matra Rancho, presumably from the same stable? Was a nice car to drive until the front n/s wheel folded up underneath the car, can't remember exactly what sheared off but I did repair it and kept the car for a further 12 months until the floors disappeared. It was subsequently restored I'm pleased to say.

[@HubNut]

Yes, Matra built the Rancho, gluing its own plastic body to a cut-down Simca pick-up.

[@jamiewallace7685]

Brilliant video, as always - thanks for sharing! Damn, that car makes a nice noise, it reminded me of an Esprit (n/a 2.2) that a mate of mine had. I remember seeing the odd one or two of these kicking about when I was a kid, and I always thought they were super-cool bits of kit - particularly given the 3 seat arrangement. Anyway, really enjoy your videos. Keep 'em coming, comrade :D

[@guntherphotography2892]

Awesome job. Not seen one of these in ages.

[@martynrussell7568]

Love the sound of the engine! Reminds me of the car chase in the movie bullitt!!

[@Auto_Funk]

Love these, they are like a 3 seater French esprit!

[@ronaldderooij1774]

No, believe me, no, they weren't. It was too heavy, too soft, it had a very outdated engine and the gearbox was very well suited on the Chrysler/Sunbeam 180 or the Citroen CX, but not for this car. Even worse, the gears were impossible to find (difficult gear box leverages underway). I compare it to the Pontiac Fiero. Good looking commuter car for long commutes.

[@graemeadamson7272]

Everything about this video is just superb . I really don't need to say anything that hasn't already been said. Thank you 👊👊

[@simonhaycocks]

I was at boarding school in the late 70’s and a friends mum had a new rancho. We thought it was very cool! I would love to see one again just to see if it still looks good or not.

[@samct465]

Huge thanks for this video as my late father was a Matra Rancho owner and a fan of their sporting cars...Colin has a awesome car there

[@HubNut]

I need to drive a Matra Rancho!

[@samct465]

Thanks for previous Autoshite links,just the forum i needed to join .....(sam simmons)

[@alex301980]

I never heard of this company or this car...and now I want one. It sounds bloomin Amazin indeed!

[@JamesMossR33]

Very tidy, but I don't recall ever seeing one before which surprises me as I remember seeing many Ranchos about when I was a kid.

[@stephencresswell4760]

You can hear those twin 45s. Lovely car. Always wanted one.

[@kimcason8764]

Great video. Really looked like Fun. If that were me Driving, at Some point 'Farmer Jones in his Tractor' would have pulled out in front of me. And ruined a Speedy Zip around the Countryside. For Sure..! Ians face at end said it all..! Beaming Grin being held in place for Camera..! Cheers 😎

[@jbz2079]

Now then, reminds me of the old rally cars we used to run, tuned four pots, high compression, flowed head, big cam, and bloody huge carburettors and of course an exhaust like a drain pipe. I drove a 1000cc low spec Metro recently and just to drive and listen to a proper engine that had a distributer and a carburettor that was not ECU controlled was a pure delight. Modern stuff is so controlled that most youngsters have no idea what a proper living breathing engine was.

[@yamyamrob4130]

What a cool little car looked great fun to drive -just waiting to be resurrected -always thought they were kitt car so learnt something new 👍👍

[@martinscholes9314]

Worth it for the sound alone! Never heard of them.

[@moriwaki1105]

There was one in my local town.....always used to look inside it and admire the shape.....looked amazing next to all the Chevettes and Cortinas etc.

[@rollingtroll]

I cannot deny my French for love cars watching this. I don't even really like sports cars yet I like very little thing about this machine. Epic epic stuff!

[@moosethecat5896]

I changed my name from Robert Rehm to Green Snakes but wanted to say i received my sticker today and it looks fantastic!. Thank you so much, gonna have to put this on my car. :)

[@piperdoug428]

Brilliant roads too

[@dazt103]

What a great looking car and it sounds as good as it looks..

[@Cavalier_Steve]

With those lights popped up the car looks even mower cute those beam blockers give it a definite face lol. Nice video as always what a great car.

[@scousepie2]

At first glance I thought it was a DeLorian.. wow great car and Great sound !!

[@volvo480]

Ahhh... this brings back great memories to my Murena 2.2! The engine in the rear, the exhaust note, such a great music, which was good because the radio reception and speakers in the car were rubbish :-). In the 14 years I have owned the car, I had it resprayed in its original Rouge Mephisto colour (correct to the 1982 model year), fitted a late-production gear linkage (so you didn't have to search for the gear), new carb, new Koni shocks, new door seals, new front windscreen, Murena S interior and side skirts and had the original 14" alloys restored to new. But the chronic lack of spares, the need of an engine and gearbox rebuild, worsening availability of high octane fuel (the 2.2 really needs to run on 98 RON otherwise detonation occurs), chronic leaks especially in the boot, almost unbearable in hot summer, dangerous in slippery roads, and most important of all, my family has grown to four. Also I needed a car which I could use all year round, so I sold it in 2014 and bought a more practical money pit: a Volvo 480 GT. Here is the goodbye video of my Murena: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opfZmqewn9R_fqs

[@isthereanybodyoutthere9397]

Nice engine note and nice dash!

[@TheCounty90]

It's a bit like a French Esprit, the 2.2 NA version at any rate. Nice car.

[@01322521959]

What a very characterful and pretty car. The thrum of that engine is almost intoxicating. No wonder you kept the revs up round those welsh lanes.

[@HubNut]

Actually, to be fair to England, these were Shropshire lanes. Which are also often lots of fun, bar the hideous potholes! The ones I'd experienced earlier in the day were truly awful.

[@jensahlers]

I alwais enjoy your video about driving the Matra Murena. It's not so easy to drive a car with left steering wheel in England.Amazing! I whish you happy Christmas. Jens Ahlers from Germany

[@brianjthomson17]

That car sounds amazing I would never want to stop hearing that engine

[@kieranwhite6647]

Great video! I had no idea these were three seaters!

[@adampowell5376]

Thank you for making this video. I have learnt something.

[@damientowning4656]

What a great looking car that is!

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

Such a nice car. I got a weak spot for Simca/Chrysler/Talbot since my parents and grandparents drove Simca and Chrysler in the 60's 70s and 80s.

[@dogwalker666]

Lovely car wanted one of these since I was a kid

[@danrkelly]

Oh the joy of the Hubnut back catalogue. #lockdown

[@CortinasAndClassics]

That car looks gorgeous.

[@Garffey]

Sounds great....Looks great, what a pity Matra didn't survive, that looked like fun to drive.

[@VDPEFi]

Great video of a very rare car, thanks! Sort of reminds me in a not completely relevant way of thrashing my Alfa Romeo 33 out to Lampeter on the lanes, beautiful noise, steering feel you just don't get anymore, slightly odd gearshift etc...the 33 had the peril of woeful brakes too though!

[@redsorgum]

Finally, a car with the steering wheel on the right side!...........HA! 😁😁👍 That’s the first time I’ve ever seen this car, let alone a three seater. This was very cool! 👏👏👏

[@kensherwood4866]

Great fun, innovative in so many ways. Even though the camera doesn't quite do justice to the engine sound, they never do I think, it has a rasp that a Chrysler 180 never had. As you say good visibility, and no big reflections in the raked windscreen. Thanks for sharing

[@HubNut]

The 180 didn't come with twin Dellortos! Mind you, nor did the Matra. This one had been warmed up a bit.

[@huwdavies6650]

So just watched this again having watched last Sunday's Top Gear where they took a Right Hand Drive a Matra Bagheera S and an Austin Allegro Estate through Brunei's Jungles. Needless to say your test drive was rather more sympathetic but unusually they both preferred the Allegro!

[@HubNut]

Bagheera never quite had enough engine to match the looks.

[@kevinshowers6477]

That is an awesome looking car made in France The body style looks almost like a 1979 Mazda RX7. except the engine is in the rear.

[@willswheels283]

O lovely Growl from that engine and exhaust!

[@iamthefatstig]

Discovering this channel has lost me more hours! Days off are now spent watching a thoroughly decent eccentric chap potter about and performing comedy services. KZbin Gold. I've been a test driver for 10 years now and I'm jealous of some of the weird and "normal" stuff you review. If you ever venture into print again I'd like to be a contributor :)

[@leerobinson8709]

Im working my way through these videos and i whilst watching i realised i know exactly where this is... You started off in Highley in Shropshire. My family come from there and that is the road to Bridgnorth driven it hundreds of times probably... Great road to drive on, it has hills, sharp bends, fast sweeping bends.... If it is clear as overtaking opportunities are few.

[@robertodaggis7244]

Just ordered one of your "Hubnut" car improvement systems :)

[@spuriouspodge7416]

Just got this recommended. That mid range exhaust warble. I nearly wet myself with excitement.

[@florasdad1]

Your most enjoyable video so far

[@volvo480]

Watching this video again makes me regret even more that I sold mine back in 2014 (after having owned it for 14 years). The engine grunt of the 2.2, the superb handling (while still being very comfortable) and the stunning looks, Though it was a hugely impractical car for daily use, especially during damp conditions, I dearly miss my Murena 2.2 in "Rouge Mephisto"... sold it to a German who blew the head gasket on its way home. 😥

[@kevinshowers6477]

It looked like you were enjoying the car. I would love to drive one here.Your Right the Matra Murena was made from 1980-1983.I looked at your Chrysler's inn Europe. Quite different from U.S. I own a 1988 Chrysler Fifth Avenue 17 ft car.

[@raycroal]

genuine oddity there,i love it

[@marcotangari2992]

My aunt has one and it's been sitting for 20 years with a broken axis. After seeing this video i'd love to start it back up lol.

[@MrChris1316]

they also made the rancho and the espace,which was originally a talbot design,hence the forward sloping headlights from the early alpine

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

Great car, great sound and great pair of lamps! Thanks for another video on a interesting little car. If you had someone in the middle seat would their legs get in the way of changing gear? But ideal for your mistress....

[@volvo480]

Only when selecting fifth gear, then you will rub the middle passenger's knee.

[@martinnorth2680]

What an addictive sound !

[@mowbraybird]

I remember these cars being introduced in the early 1980s yet I have only seen three of these cars since then. The only mid-engined coupe to have three seats aside from Matras earlier Bagheera and the Maclaren F1.

[@simonsummers9194]

Oh WOW that brought back a few memories as I was driving one of these when I worked at a breakers yard on weekends and school holidays. I even took it to school a few day's and parked it up in teacher's car park. Great little car's and this one sounds great. You should buy this one off him. Looks a little bit like a bmw 6 series bonnet and a opel mantra tail gate.etc

[@HubNut]

I was grateful for the drive, but there's no way I could afford to buy one. £10,000+ in the UK, even more on the continent.

[@simonsummers9194]

HubNut God as much as that... mmm stick with the 2cv 😉😉

[@Challenger540i]

Really enjoyed this vid, so informative. I always thought that the tail lamps were Rover 800! Underrated motor, shame

[@jaggass]

Sounds very sporty and looks great too.

[@khew1]

This car sounds amazing! Wish my Fiat Panda 100HP made that kinda noise. Wish you'd review the Panda 100HP :)

[@markbennett2170]

FANTASTIQUE !

[@MajorKlanga]

Ian, I've always been fascinated by underdog cars like this. Regarding the engine, even in the single carb version I had in my Tagora, it had 115bhp so I'm sure this one had a lot more. That sounded a lot nicer than the standard Tagora engine which had the usual Simca rattle. I doubt if Matra had to go begging for an engine from Talbot as they were wholly owned by Peugeot as a result of Peugeot taking over Chrysler Europe; they were sold to Renault to raise a bit of cash and in the process Peugeot gave away the revolutionary design of the Espace. Incidentally, the Murena was officially sold in the UK but the combination of LHD only and Talbot's rather dowdy image meant it would never sell well even though the legendary LJK Setright considered it a better drive than the Porsche 911.

[@volvo480]

Actually, the story is different. In 1982, PSA (Peugeot Citroën) was sinking, and the 205 was their rescue buoy. They simply didn't have the funds to market what was to become the Espace. Renault became interested and bought PSA's shares in Matra in December 1982. By mid-1983, the Murena production stopped (the last cars came fitted with two carbs and a sharper cam, giving 140 bhp; single carb 2.2 gave 115 bhp just like the Tagora) and in April 1984 the Espace came to life. About the engines, in 1980 Matra wanted to use the Renault 2 litre engine like the one in the Citroën CX, but Renault didn't want PSA to use their engines, so Matra had to use an enlarged Chrysler 180 engine, while still using the CX gearbox. And there was a 1.6 litre engine from the Talbot Solara, which was rattling like a typewriter :-)

[@deanstevenson6527]

@@volvo480 The C180 based Targora 2.2 engine was used in one version of the 505 GTI and a lognitutinal AWD concept rallye variant of the Citroën BX 4TC Group B "kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZbNnnScj7-tfKs" The CX transmission was to be used in the early version of the Deloren DSV. The overall high cost of EU type approval scupered a lot of great French cars...remember the Venturi?

[@terrortorn]

If I was to write myself into an episode of Bergerac as a cocky French villain, this would be my ride of choice.

[@chucku00]

Consider also the Panhard 24 CT... In action : kzbin.info/www/bejne/o37ZXoJ9p6mahMU

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Makes a lovely noise.