For the Matra Simca Bagheera has no shortage of arguments to make your head spin.
When you first see it, you are disarmed by its lines, of a pure simplicity. Then, inside, you discover the 3 seats abreast, which make the Matra Simca Bagheera a completely unique car. Not to mention a spaciousness and comfort unmatched in this type of car.
But it is behind the wheel, well supported in your seat, from the back of your neck to the "heel-and-toe," that the introductions truly begin. At 6,000 rpm, 84 tamed horsepower obey you. Around you, space and a profound silence.
Engine 4-cylinder Displacement (cc)
Horsepower 6,000
Torque 4,400 (mkg)
With its mid-engine and four-wheel independent suspension, the Matra Simca Bagheera links curves by "sticking" to the road. And at the slightest obstacle, its 4 power-assisted disc brakes respond instantly.
Add to that an extremely spacious trunk, a most reasonable fuel consumption (6.44 liters per 100 km at an average of 109 km/h with the driver and journalist Guy Michelet on March 7, 1974), and a price within your reach: less than 30,000 F (Version 1).
So, if you still consider the automobile as something more than a simple means of transport, ask your Simca Chrysler dealer (there are 525 in France, 3,000 in Europe) for the wheel of the Matra Simca Bagheera and discover the pleasure of driving a car made for those who do not accept compromises. You will meet the car that best reconciled pleasure and common sense.
1 - Today, you are trying out a Matra Simca Bagheera at your Simca Chrysler dealership. 2 - It's there. All ready. You open the door... 3 - With its three seats abreast, its cabin truly resembles no other. 4 - You sit down. Steering wheel firmly in hand, you settle into your enveloping seat, legs comfortably extended. 5 - 6 - 7 - Before your eyes are all the gauges and instruments. Those of a "GT": tachometer, speedometer, water temperature, oil pressure, headlight controls, 2-speed windshield wipers, cigarette lighter... everything is there, even a map light! 8 - A glance in the rearview mirror and... you're off! 9 - The engine purrs softly. You pull away smoothly. First, second, third... You weave easily through the city streets. 10 - You feel calm, secure. Because at the slightest obstacle, the four power-assisted disc brakes obey instantly. 11 - But time passes. How does the Matra Simca Bagheera perform on the open road? 12 - This is where the surprises truly begin. The Matra Simca Bagheera laughs at corners. It sticks to the road. You discover an astonishing stability and balance due to the mid-engine layout. 13 - You press lightly on the accelerator pedal, just to see. The speed needle rises. Smoothly. And the silence is surprising, despite the power of the 83 hp. 14 - Back at the dealership. You operate the automatic opening of the retractable headlights. Iodine (halogen), naturally. No problem. 15 - And the trunk? Astonishing for a car of this type. It is wide and spacious. 16 - That's it. The test drive is over. The Matra Simca Bagheera, without a doubt, knows how to combine pleasure and common sense. Reluctantly, you walk away from it. See you very soon, surely...
Engine. 7 Taxable Horsepower (CV), 4 cylinders in line, mounted transversely ahead of the rear axle, inclined 15° towards the rear. Bore: 76.7 mm - Stroke: 70 mm - Displacement: 1294 cm 3 - Maximum Power: 84 hp at 6000 rpm (DIN) - Maximum Torque: 10.8 mkg (meter-kilograms) at 4400 rpm - Compression Ratio: 9.8/1±0.2 - Overhead valves - Light alloy cylinder head - Crankshaft on 5 main bearings - Fuel supplied by two twin-barrel WEBER carburetors - Oil Sump Capacity: 3 L - Alternator: 12 V 35 Ah - Cooling: Water circulation activated by pump: radiator located at the front with thermostatic electric fan control and expansion tank.
Clutch. Single disc, dry type with diaphragm spring - Hydraulic control.
Gearbox. Single disc, dry type with diaphragm spring - Hydraulic control.
Differential. Rear drive axle - Differential casing integral with the gearbox casing - Oil Capacity: 1.1 L.
Structure & Suspension. Self-supporting structure with integrated underbody made of pressed steel elements - "Coupé" type body designed to accommodate three seats abreast - Bodywork components made of polyester resins reinforced with fiberglass: sub-assemblies obtained by gluing before final assembly - Front Suspension: By longitudinal torsion bars and superimposed transverse wishbones - Rear Suspension: By transverse torsion bars and "trailing" triangular arms made of cast light alloy with box reinforcement - Front and rear anti-roll bars - Double-acting telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers.
Steering. Rack and pinion, with a column featuring a universal joint (cardan) and a flexible coupling (flector) - Turning Circle (overall): 10 m.
Brakes. Hydraulic, with two independent circuits (front and rear) - Tandem master cylinder - Discs on the front and rear: Front Diameter: 238 mm. Rear Diameter: 234 mm - Total Braking Surface Area: 1033 cm2 front and 1033 cm2 rear - Power assistance by servo-brake.
Equipment. Independent and adjustable driver's seat - Rheostatic adjustment for dashboard lighting - Colored gauge backgrounds with needles - Tachometer - Speed indicator with trip odometer - Sun visors - Anti-lift windshield wipers, 2-speed motor - Laminated glass windshield - Rectangular iodine (halogen) long-range headlights - Seat belts - Options on Version 1: tinted windows - heated rear window - retractable seat belts - light alloy wheels - Standard Equipment on Version 2: tinted windows - heated rear window - retractable seat belts - compressor horn - dashboard clock - adjustable driver's seat backrest.
Characteristic Data. Ground Clearance (unladen): 0.140 m - Rear Trunk Volume: 320 dm3 - Curb Weight in Running Order: 885 kg - Weight Distribution: Front: 42 % - Rear: 58 % - Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 L.
