MATRA

Murena
‘Specials’
1980-today.

Murena 4S:

In answer to criticisms of insufficient power,

Matra developed an uprated Murena 4S
model (“4S”=quatre soupapes, four valves). proved impressively reliable. On account of
Based upon the standard 2.2S, the Murena the extra power, Matra developed the body
4S sported a 16 Valve head which upped aerodynamics further for greater stability and
maximum power to a healthier 180bhp @ reduced lift at high speed. The changes
6000rpm and 212Nm/ 156lb.ft @ 5600rpm, included wider wheel arches and deeper
with 85%+ of its torque available from spoilers front and rear, as already discussed,
2500rpm. The gearbox remained unmodified, and an aluminium Targa-top for showroom
and apparently had no trouble handling the sales purposes. Performance increased
extra power, and in testing, the 4S model notably, and in testing the Murena 4S could
reach 230kph or
over 142mph, and
accelerated to
100kph in 7.2
seconds (60mph
under 6.9 sec),
and a standing
kilometre in
27.7sec. Other
literature claims
that it could reach
100mph in around 21 seconds, although
there is no other reliable material
backing this up. The performance
benchmark used by Matra engineers was
the Porsche 924 Turbo, whose
performance they wanted to match, with
the opportunity for further ramping up of
power. When researching possible
options, Matra consulted with the
Division of Engine Advanced Studies
(DMEA) specifying the aim to achieve
good engine performance with
reasonable terms of tax and tariff, which
is important in France. It also had to be
clean enough to meet the toughest
present and pending emission standards.
Talbot-Matra Murena 4S: Blue velvet interior and green piping
 air cooling slot just behind the doors
for the rear brakes and engine-feed.
There were also new wider alloy
wheel, but no mention is made of
any suspension upgrades.

Other ideas for the Murena:

Matra did not give up on the idea
of a faster Murena, but again
Peugeot would not play ball: a
version powered by the 2.9-litre PRV
V6 engine (Tagora, Volvo 760,
Peugeot 604) was similarly vetoed.
Other ideas outside the factory
have included aftermarket options
for engine upgrades mostly using
the later Peugeot 1.9 engine in both
8 and 16 valve guise (as used in the
4S engine: 175.5 bhp @ 6.000rpm with 85% Torque at 2500rpm
205 GTI range). Since this engine
has similar mount-points and even weighs
From this study a 16-valve dual overhead the same as the old 1.6 unit, it is a fairly easy
cam head with fuel injection was identified. At change. Power is up to 120-130HP (with
the beginning of September 1981 a complete 16valves and two twin-choke Webers it gives
engine with 4 into 1 exhaust was tuned and about 150-170HP), which makes the car a lot
ready to go, and delivered to the testing quicker, better matching its looks.
department for trials. Two 4S prototypes Here are some comments posted about a
were prepared to take a 4S motor, one for couple of Murenas converted using Peugeot
wind tunnel testing. 1.9 power plants. The first is a Murena 1.6
Despite the tests being very convincing, converted by its owner, a mechanical
and good results achieved, the management engineer called Lawrence Hatfield, to which
of Peugeot would not give its approval for he has fitted a Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI engine
marketing the project. It seems the engine in. The engine had a fast road camshaft, twin
originally ran carburettors, but a final attempt Weber 45 DCOEs and a modified cylinder
at getting Peugeot to approve the 4S for head.
production with fuel injection also proved Car 2 is a Murena 1.6 converted by Will
fruitless. Both cars are now owned by two Falconer. The car has a standard Peugeot 205
private collectors, both former employees of 1.9 GTI engine, but with twin Dell'Orto
Matra. One of them is in blue and is now carburettors. “Firstly, I would recommend the
fitted with the 2.2S engine, while the other is conversion. Both cars went very well. I have
yellow and still has the 180 bhp motor. The driven a few Caterham 7s and the
yellow (and black) car is called "Martin" after performance of car 1 was not far off. Car 2
the name of the engineer who designed the had a bit less torque but was still very
engine, and the blue/ green was painted in impressive. The acceleration of the cars was
these colours to honour the very successful good and the performance matched the
Matra driver Pescarolo. handling and look of the Murena well.
Because the 2.2 engine was used as the Car 2 was very neatly converted - nice and
basis for the Peugeot 505 Turbo, some tidy. The engines seemed to be mounted at
aftermarket fitments of these engines have about the same height with car 1's maybe
occurred. They are relatively easy to do as slightly further forward.
the fitting is the same, except for Handling compared well with the original
turbocharger, but the 505 is only a sohc 8- Murena 1.6 and I was hard pushed to find
valve engine, with power outputs ranging any differences, the balance stays pretty
from 142 to 160bhp – not quite the same. much the same. I would say that car 2
Other mechanical changes for the 4S saw its seemed very slightly lighter at the back than
rear disc brakes moved in from the hubs to my 1.6 on fast corners.
the inboard end of the driveshafts. The The gearshift on both cars was very good;
widened rear quarter panel included a vertical car 1 was quite notchy but not difficult.
 Chapron
Lawrence had redesigned the shift
mechanism with less links and more rose-
joints. The only problem I found was that the
throttle was extremely stiff on car 2, but I'm
sure that could be sorted out by rerouting the
cable or removing/replacing one of the return
springs.
I think if you're considering a conversion,
getting the extra work done on the engine is
worth it. Acceleration from any revs
(particularly lower revs) was brilliant; the car
could be balanced, slid and controlled on the
throttle in corners. The exhaust note of both
cars was very nice.”
Other conversions on the Murena have
been built in Europe, including this interesting their 4-valve heads to fit the all alloy 2-litre
looking Alfa Romeo 164 V6 powered car with Douvrin short-block, or even an all new block.
standard or Quattro-valvole engine, build by Fortunately, this time, their development
Carjoy, a Dutch Murena-specialist. work was not entirely in vain as it is said it
The prototype Murena Chapron Chimera, was used as the basis for the engine mounted
released by the famous coachbuilding in the front of the Lotus Sunbeam-Talbot.
company Henri Chapron (which does the And yet this raises further questions. The
presidential Citroen convertibles for example) Lotus Sunbeam motor is all alloy and
in conjunction with Matra, is another measures 95.20x76.20mm to give 2170cc.
mysterious Murena with a great lack of The 2.2 Lotus Esprit measures 95.30x
Carjoy

information about its background and 76.20mm to give 2174cc, the Vauxhall 2.3
makeup. It was presented at the 1982 Auto (often claimed to be the basis for the 2.2
Show of Paris and had a lift-off roof and more Lotus engine) at 97.5x76.2 giving 2279cc
luxurious appointments plus a new rear while the 2.2 Renault R21 Douvrin engine
spoiler… measures 88.00×89.00 mm, giving 2165cc.
As we have seen, the cast iron Simca engine
Murena 4WD is 2156cc at 91.7x81.6mm… so what Matra
Before the Murena ceased production at the developed for Chrysler Europe racing remains
end of 1983, the company had been working a ‘state secret’ at this stage. However, the
on a further evolution of the 4S engine. This Lotus Sunbeam was said to have about
was apparently a 2,000cc Formula 2 version 152bhp, weighs 960kg, and achieved
for the Racing Division of Chrysler (ROC). The 0:60mph in 6.8 to 7.4 seconds and
implication is that the engine was a 0:100mph in 19.8 sec, plus a 121mph top
development of the 2156cc Chrysler-Simca speed. This gives us a fair indication of what
motor, but for Formula 2, and in 2-litre guise, the Murena S may have achieved in testing -
one is inclined to wonder if Matra developed with another 10% extra weight and taller
gearing, but 20% extra bhp; perhaps as
 Left: Murena 4WD

Below: MS630

mentioned above, 0:100mph in

21 seconds and 142 top speed.
Matra also developed their own
car using a development of the
above 16-valve S racing engine. It
was a 4wd car called the Murena
4WD fitted out in Grp-4 rally
guise. From a motorsport point of
view, the Murena ROC engine was
unsuccessful because it lacked
sufficient numbers built for
international Group-B
approval (200 copies minimum),
despite some success in the Grp-4
class of the 1981 World Rally
Championship. Its major event for
public exposure was the 1981
Monte Carlo - run in Grp-4, with
Jean-Pierre Beltoise at the wheel
and singer Veronique Jannot
as co-driver. The car
succumbed to mechanical
failure. Several examples
were also prepared by a
Polytechnic institute that
had developed some special
aftermarket conversions for
the Murena; their cars were
equipped with permanent
four-wheel drive and
dominated the European
and French Rallycross
championship through to
the end of 1986. Sadly, little
else has been published on
these cars.

Murena V12
the MS V12 Prototype Murena 81, and was
A ‘promising’ V12 designed by André Legan powered by a 3-litre MS81 model Formula 1
was also passed over by the management V12, producing 510bhp with an 11,000rpm
after not progressing far beyond the drawing red-line. The motor was mounted
board. Matra engineers got as far as these longitudinally with a tube frame structure
photos show, but it did not reach the road affixed off the rear firewall, behind the
and was finally broken up. The car was called passengers. Apparently the back half of a
sports-racing MS630
formed the basis of its
lower rear structure.
The rear of the car was
fitted with inboard racing
brakes, ZF transaxle,
battery moved to near
the engine, purpose built
suspension, and wide
alloy wheels and tyres.
The structure from the
firewall forward was
essentially Murena, with
mods including
suspension and brakes.
Legan presented the
prototype mock-up as a
double study with the
right side representing a
prototype road car, and
the left side a study for a
prototype competition
sportscar.

Among the changes:

 Reinforced chassis
structure
 Chassis at the rear
modified to take
part M630 structure
 Reinforcing cross
for rear bulkhead
 Triangulated upper
supports
 Flat bottom floor
pan or undertray
 Dual fans and cowls
 Larger radiator
 Four new ventilated
disc brakes with 4-
piston callipers
 Front tyres Pirelli P7
225/40/VR 15
 Rear tyres Pirelli P7
285/40/VR AR 15
 Front track widened to
1455mm (+45 mm over
standard)
 Rear track ‘narrowed’ to
1465mm (or-61mm) *1
*1 Actual outside to outside of
tyres is greater overall, but
centreline to centreline is less
due to the greater width of the
tyres.
Basis of all Murenas
 SAIER-M1

Saier of Germany existed as a small car added that were said to release another
manufacturer between 1981 and 1997. 10bhp, and wider rims and tyres were fitted;
During this time there were a variety of 225/VR15 on 9” rims and 285/VR15 on 11”
vehicles produced, such as replicas of the rims rear. Top speed was in the order of 200
Countach, 356 Speedster, TDS MG, Mercedes to 220kph. Later Saier offered a similar
SSK, Ford GT40, Buggies, Hot Rods etc looking car based on the Pontiac Fiero.
... and a few BMW M1 replicas built on
Murena rolling chassis. However, not many
Saier M1s were built as BMW took Saier to
task, threatening them with legal action if
they did not remove the obvious references
to BMW. The typical BMW grill was removed,
the front hood/ bonnet got air intakes, and
the rear got rounded tail lights like a Ferrari.
The tailgate was also redesigned.
Door handles were changed to recessed
units using Murena parts, and although the
interior was never like an M1, this was
revamped over the original Murena design.
From the Murena, the car had original
running gear with the 118 bhp 2.2 engine as
Rear
its base model, but the 140bhp S engine was
and
an obvious option. Sports mufflers were Interior
Views of
Saier

Left; what private people like doing to

their cars these days; a Modified 2.2