What the car is and where it came from
A French sports car built by Matra from 1967 to 1973. Designed by Philippe Guédon. Named after Matra’s R.530 missile. Matra’s first true sports car.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It places the driver ahead of a mid-mounted Ford Taunus V4 engine, with the transaxle behind the rear seats. The perforated steel platform chassis carries GRP bodywork. A targa top removes over the cockpit. Hidden headlamps slide into the front wings.
What it gets right
It gets the driver’s relationship to the road right: low-slung, central seating, direct steering feel, and visibility unobstructed by a fixed roof.
What it does not
It does not offer high power, structural rigidity by modern standards, or ergonomic refinement. It sacrifices cabin space for packaging the V4 transversely behind the seats.
What it changed
It established Matra as a carmaker in its own right—not just a rebadged Bonnet—by committing to a bespoke platform, mid-engine layout and production-scale GRP bodywork.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for people who study how mid-engine packaging evolved outside Italy and Britain. It is not for collectors seeking rarity, performance benchmarks or driver aids.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you care how French engineering solved space, weight and driver position in 1967 without relying on proven sports-car templates.
