First, you should be aware that todays 17 digit type chassis number is a fairly new standard and
Matra Automobiles only changed over to this during 1981 (for the 1982 model year). Like most car
manufacturers, they had their own system previous to this. These could take almost any form!
If you have a Matra D'jet / Jet, the chassis number should tell you which version it is. If it starts
MB8 10... it is a D'jet 5. If it starts MB8 20... it is a D'jet 5S. If it starts MB8 30... it is a Jet 6.
If you have a René Bonnet D'jet (models 1 to 4) it will start CRB ... and be extremely rare, one of
only 198 made and if you speak French, the French D'jet clubs may provide better help. Alternatively,
send me all the information you can (incl. photos) and I will try to find out what I can for you.
A 530A or 530LX has a split targa roof (two removable panels) and pop-up headlamps whilst
the 530SX has a fixed roof and four large fixed lamps mounted on the front (rallye style).
You may be interested in where this model name came from: Matra's main business at the time
was military armament and they produced a very successful missile named the 'S530' (eventually
replaced by the well known Exocet!). Whilst the Jet name of the first car model was chosen by
René Bonnet before Matra took him over, it seems they decided to continue the theme.
Maybe they hoped the missiles success would be transferred to the car!
If you have a Bagheera the chassis number will tell you it's age as well as the version.
It was named after the Disney Jungle Book black panther character. (They couldn't use either
Panther or Jaguar, suitable names that conjure up speed, grip, grace, etc. since there were
other manufacturers with those names!) The chassis number takes the form of 'X35507 X 407000'
The second digit will be a '3' or a '6'. '3' denotes a 1294 cc engine and '6' means a 1442 cc one.
The number '550' after this is the Bagheera factory model code. (Out of interest the '540' was
a re-engined '530' prototype, and the '560' was the twin engined Bagheera U8 prototype)
The number immediately preceding the middle X denotes the model year.
So '4' means 1974 increasing to '9' for 1979. The letter 'A' is for 1980.
The Murena continues this age designation with 'B' for 1981 to 'E' for 1984. However, the
Murena chassis number can take two forms and the early models were similar to the Bagheera
but after the PSA takeover of Simca it changed to the 17 digit form. So 1981 models take the
'X5551 BX 600000' form, whilst from 1982 onwards they are like this: 'VF8 53C392 CX 650000'
The designation '551' above or '392' in the new form, denotes a 1.6 engine model and either
'552' or '432' means a 2.2 engine model. Note: only 2.2S models had the 1984 'E' designation
and their chassis numbers were all 750000 upwards. There were only 480 'S' models and the
'EX 75....' part of the chassis number will positively identify one.
The word 'Murena' is French for a Moray which is an eel!
The Rancho chassis number also takes two forms as it was produced under both Simca and PSA.
Early cars used the 'X30129 X 400000' format. (This would be a 1979 model) and from '82 onwards
they used the 'VF8 31D331 CX 700000' 17 digit number. All Rancho have 1442 cc engines.
The 'VF8' start of the VIN in Murena, Rancho, Espace and Avantime models denotes that these
vehicles are made by Matra Automobiles in France. VF=Vehicle France and the number 8 is Matra
(remember the '8' in MB8=Matra-Bonnet) VF1=Renault VF3=Peugeot VF7=Citroen etc.
Model years are not the same as calendar years! They start in advance of the new year. How
much in advance is a little 'flexible'. For instance all the first Bagheera were plated 1974 yet the
production started around the middle of 1973. The Murena 1.6 started production in September 1980
but all were plated 1981. 2.2 Production started in February 1981. All 2.2S were plated 1984, but
were built at the end of 1983. This is why you may have a car first registered say 1980 but it's
plated 1981. Note, all manufacturers tend to do this - it is not unusual to Matra.
The D'jet / Jet models used Renault 4 cylinder in-line engines:
An 1108cc for the 5 & 5S and a Gordini modified 1255cc for the Jet 6.
The 530 models used Ford (of Germany) engines:
They were the 1.7 litre V4 used in the Taunus (and some Saab's).
The Bagheera used French Simca 4 cylinder in-line engines:
They were either the 1294 cc or 1442 cc transverse units taken from
the Simca 1100 / Horizon / 1307 (or Alpine) / 1308 (or Solara) range.
The Rancho used the same 1442 cc as the Bagheera but in a lower state of tuning.
It has one carburettor rather than two, and a lower compression.
The Murena used French Simca / Talbot 4 cylinder in-line engines:
The 1.6 from the Alpine / Solara and the 2.2 OHC from the Tagora 2.2
Please note this 2155 cc engine was a development of the Chrysler 180 / 2 litre unit
NOT the 2165 cc Peugeot 505 engine with which it sometimes mistakenly credited.
Also note that 2.2 cars were stated as being 2128cc in Germany for some reason!
The D'jet / Jet used the commercial Renault Estafette 4-speed transaxle.
The 530 models used the Ford Taunus 4-speed transaxle.
The Bagheera and Rancho used the Simca 1100 / 1307 / 1308 4-speed transaxle.
The Murena used the Citroën CX 5-speed transaxle.
All these were modified from the originals where necessary.
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Figures for the earliest cars are difficult to be accurate about, but the general consensus is as follows:
There were 198 Bonnet D'jet cars built (versions 1 to 4) before the Matra takeover when they became
first Matra-Bonnet and then Matra-Sport. There were then a total of 1493 Matra-Bonnet or Matra-sport
D'jet / Jet models; 916 were model 5, 355 model 5S and 222 model 6, production ending in 1967.
There were 9609 530 models; 3731 model 530A, 4732 model 530LX and 1146 model 530SX.
The Bagheera was the most prolific of the sports cars having a total of 47,796 cars made.
The series 1 was made up until 1976 with the series 2 running until 1980. Although the change took place
in 1976, all series 2 were plated 1977. There were 25,477 series 1 and 22,319 series 2 Bagheera.
The Rancho came in a variety of specifications and was available from 1977 to 1984 and was the only
one of these cars to be available from the factory in RHD. A total of 57,792 were produced.
There were 10,680 Murena produced: 5640 1.6 models, 4560 2.2 models of which it is believed 112 were
dealer converted to Prep 142 specification, and finally the 480 'S' based on the Prep 142 specification.
The Matra produced Espace, production of which ended near the end of 2002, totalled 874,242.
The Avantime production totalled 8,450 from 2001 to 2003 with I believe just 1000 RHD cars.
The D'jet / Jet has a tubular steel chassis with glass fibre (GRP) bodywork.
It has a large round longitudinal backbone tube with square tube outer framework.
The 530 and Bagheera have flat steel platform chassis with glass reinforced polyester bodywork.
The Rancho is based on the Simca 1100 pick-up so the chassis and front bodywork are steel
and only the rear upper section of bodywork is glass reinforced polyester.
The Murena and Espace use a totally immersed hot-dip galvanised platform steel chassis
with polyester and glass fibre bodywork.
The Avantime is similar to the Espace but some of the upper chassis is aluminium.
