1983 Talbot-Matra Murena 2.2 S
Discussion
Here are some pics. The engine bay behind the seats is not as easy to access as that in a Lotus Europa, as the luggage tub does not come out, but you can climb into it if you want.
The frameless lifting glass tailgate is rather fun - I like these, as seen also on some old Volvos. The luggage space is fine - deep but not wide. It gets warm, of course.
The engine heat is dissipated through the grille by the offside C pillar. The one on the nearside is a fake which hinges open to reveal the petrol cap. The tank holds 53 litres. Fuel consumption is so-so: 25 to 30 if properly set up. Mine is more thirsty at present, probably because of those 45s. The four pipe ASBo exhaust farts and pops a bit on the overrun. The car sounds gruff and grunty.
The SOHC cast iron 2.2 engine powered the rather underwhelming Tagora saloon. It becomes more peppy by the addition of a sporty camshaft (often a Holbay), a lighter fly wheel, and the replacement of the single carb with two Webers or (as here) Dellortos. These are 45s, but 40s would be adequate. There is a place in Newcastle that upgrades standard 2.2 cars to the S spec, and they did mine some time in the last decade. It accelerates very vigorously. I have seen 200 kmh indicated on the speedo (allegedly). It definitely went faster when I closed the headlamps.
Experiments with a V6, turbos, and even a (crazy) V12 engine at the time of production came to nothing, because of lack of corporate support.
People upgrade the 1.6 cars by putting in Peugeot GTi 1.9 engines. The 2.2s are sometimes fitted with Alfa V6s.
The gear box is underneath the engine. The linkages are not as long or as problematic as those on a Europa. The gear change is a bit wooly for a sports car, but it's OK.
The car has high levels of grip and cornering ability, with almost no rolling or pitching.
The front compartment holds the spare wheel, the battery, brake servo, brake fluid, radiator and fan. I also keep some tools and assorted bits in there.
The car has an 80s or 90s Pioneer radio cassette, with speakers in the doors. The ventilation is OK, helped by the after market tinted glass sunroof, which tilts open, and makes the car feel lighter and airier inside.
The frameless lifting glass tailgate is rather fun - I like these, as seen also on some old Volvos. The luggage space is fine - deep but not wide. It gets warm, of course.
The engine heat is dissipated through the grille by the offside C pillar. The one on the nearside is a fake which hinges open to reveal the petrol cap. The tank holds 53 litres. Fuel consumption is so-so: 25 to 30 if properly set up. Mine is more thirsty at present, probably because of those 45s. The four pipe ASBo exhaust farts and pops a bit on the overrun. The car sounds gruff and grunty.
The SOHC cast iron 2.2 engine powered the rather underwhelming Tagora saloon. It becomes more peppy by the addition of a sporty camshaft (often a Holbay), a lighter fly wheel, and the replacement of the single carb with two Webers or (as here) Dellortos. These are 45s, but 40s would be adequate. There is a place in Newcastle that upgrades standard 2.2 cars to the S spec, and they did mine some time in the last decade. It accelerates very vigorously. I have seen 200 kmh indicated on the speedo (allegedly). It definitely went faster when I closed the headlamps.
Experiments with a V6, turbos, and even a (crazy) V12 engine at the time of production came to nothing, because of lack of corporate support.
People upgrade the 1.6 cars by putting in Peugeot GTi 1.9 engines. The 2.2s are sometimes fitted with Alfa V6s.
The gear box is underneath the engine. The linkages are not as long or as problematic as those on a Europa. The gear change is a bit wooly for a sports car, but it's OK.
The car has high levels of grip and cornering ability, with almost no rolling or pitching.
The front compartment holds the spare wheel, the battery, brake servo, brake fluid, radiator and fan. I also keep some tools and assorted bits in there.
The car has an 80s or 90s Pioneer radio cassette, with speakers in the doors. The ventilation is OK, helped by the after market tinted glass sunroof, which tilts open, and makes the car feel lighter and airier inside.
It looks like a TU PSA lump, is that correct?
If people have put 205 1.6 gti engines in then the 306 gti6 lump would certainly fit and would make the car go rather well I suspect!
Thanks for the pics and once again congratulations on the car!
EDIT: thinking about it the displacement is too big for the TU block, i wonder what the origins were...
If people have put 205 1.6 gti engines in then the 306 gti6 lump would certainly fit and would make the car go rather well I suspect!
Thanks for the pics and once again congratulations on the car!
EDIT: thinking about it the displacement is too big for the TU block, i wonder what the origins were...
Cheers. The engine is a Simca Type 180 2.2 litre unit. It was not a PSA engine. Matra was acquired by PSA and that was one reason why the Murena did not get an alloy engine and why the car was only made for three years.
The 1.6 cars are configured slightly differently and do not have room for a much bigger engine.
The 2.2 cars go for 8000 Euros or so on the Continent but about £4000 to £5000 in good condition in the UK.
The 1.6 cars are configured slightly differently and do not have room for a much bigger engine.
The 2.2 cars go for 8000 Euros or so on the Continent but about £4000 to £5000 in good condition in the UK.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 27th September 21:55
Cheers!
The 800 series came out in 1986, three years after the demise of the Murena, and I doubt that the two companies would have used the same parts bin. The Rover's lights are quite different:-
The Murena's rear lights are probably to be found on other French cars of the early 80s, but I don't know which ones off hand.
It still has yellow auxiliary lights at the front, although the headlamps are white. I can still remember when the Champs Elysee was a sea of yellow headlamps.
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The 800 series came out in 1986, three years after the demise of the Murena, and I doubt that the two companies would have used the same parts bin. The Rover's lights are quite different:-
The Murena's rear lights are probably to be found on other French cars of the early 80s, but I don't know which ones off hand.
It still has yellow auxiliary lights at the front, although the headlamps are white. I can still remember when the Champs Elysee was a sea of yellow headlamps.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 29th September 07:06
Re the engine, my French book on the Murena says that the 2.2 engine is a Type X5N2. It displaces 2155cc. This will give 118 BHP at 5800 rpm in normal spec, 142 bhp at 6000 rpm in S spec. The redline is at 6200 rpm.
The torque figures given are 18.5 m.kg (136.53 ft/lbs) and 18/7 m.kg (138.01 ft/lbs) at 3800 rpm.
The five speed gearbox was initially designed for the Citroen CX and Lancia Beta and made by SMAE. It was also used in the Talbot Solara and the Fiat Ducato van.
The torque figures given are 18.5 m.kg (136.53 ft/lbs) and 18/7 m.kg (138.01 ft/lbs) at 3800 rpm.
The five speed gearbox was initially designed for the Citroen CX and Lancia Beta and made by SMAE. It was also used in the Talbot Solara and the Fiat Ducato van.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 29th September 09:31
The Dellorto DHLA 45s on my Murena have been wasting fuel. It only needs 40s, so I was pleased to find a matched pair for not much on eBay, taken from a Jensen-Healey (Lotus 907 engine), so they should be a good spec for this car.
On the same day, I found the correct DHLA 40s to replace the not so good ones on my Elan Plus 2, so, a good day's shopping. I now have a kitchen full of carburettors.
On the same day, I found the correct DHLA 40s to replace the not so good ones on my Elan Plus 2, so, a good day's shopping. I now have a kitchen full of carburettors.
I used to have a Bburago model of one of these when I was a yute 
Beautiful car, real rarity and I just love the eye-jangling 80s interior and Citroenesque steering wheel and consoles... Talbot-Matra made some great vehicles, I reckon if they launched a retro-modern retake on the Rancho it would do really well. I'm sure the Kangoo platform would lend itself beautifully to such tomfoolery.
Beautiful car, real rarity and I just love the eye-jangling 80s interior and Citroenesque steering wheel and consoles... Talbot-Matra made some great vehicles, I reckon if they launched a retro-modern retake on the Rancho it would do really well. I'm sure the Kangoo platform would lend itself beautifully to such tomfoolery.
Hello there,
Nice to see a pic of my Murena's original interior posted on this forum. I uploaded it once to Wikipedia to illustrate the article I wrote about the Matra Murena. Throughout the years (I've been owning mine almost 12 years now) the fabric began to sag and tear, so I replaced the whole lot with a complete interior from a Murena S. Only the engine is still original (118 bhp), there are 178000 kms on the clock. No body modifications apart from a set of "Murena S"-style side-skirts, which are also original but not from this model year (1982).
Some parts are in production again (like the rear trailing arms) but I haven't seen new rear light covers yet.
Cheers,
Robert.
Nice to see a pic of my Murena's original interior posted on this forum. I uploaded it once to Wikipedia to illustrate the article I wrote about the Matra Murena.
Throughout the years (I've been owning mine almost 12 years now) the fabric began to sag and tear, so I replaced the whole lot with a complete interior from a Murena S. Only the engine is still original (118 bhp), there are 178000 kms on the clock. No body modifications apart from a set of "Murena S"-style side-skirts, which are also original but not from this model year (1982).Breadvan72 said:
Cheers!
The Murena's rear lights are probably to be found on other French cars of the early 80s, but I don't know which ones off hand.
Unfortunately, they are unique to the car and very hard (and expensive!) to find. They were taken from the Simca Horizon, and the base units (the bit you screw the lamps in, basically) are the same, but the Murena light covers have some kind of extension so they will fit the curved corner of the car.The Murena's rear lights are probably to be found on other French cars of the early 80s, but I don't know which ones off hand.
Some parts are in production again (like the rear trailing arms) but I haven't seen new rear light covers yet.
Cheers,
Robert.
Edited by brinkie on Sunday 7th October 10:34
Pics please! The replica rear trailing arms that are on sale are reported by Roy Gillard, Matra guru, not to fit properly. He found me two originals for my car. One is on, and one is stored for when needed.
My car's interior fabric is in surprisngly good condition given that it has done well over 200,000 kms since new.
My car's interior fabric is in surprisngly good condition given that it has done well over 200,000 kms since new.
Breadvan72 said:
Pics please! The replica rear trailing arms that are on sale are reported by Roy Gillard, Matra guru, not to fit properly. He found me two originals for my car. One is on, and one is stored for when needed.
My car's interior fabric is in surprisngly good condition given that it has done well over 200,000 kms since new.
Cheers!My car's interior fabric is in surprisngly good condition given that it has done well over 200,000 kms since new.
Heh, Roy is a good chap and I think he would be able to blindfoldedly take a Murena apart and back together again, definitely a guru indeed. But if everything would to be done to a Murena according to his standards, I'd rather buy a good second-hand Lotus Elise, that would be cheaper.
Pics?
Well, this was the car not long after I've bought her in November 2000:
Wrong paint (Rouge Vallalunga = Simca 1000 Rallye colour), wrong wheels with Pirelli P5000's on them (cupping like hell), wrong exhaust ("Devil", makes a hell of a noise, rusts like there's no tomorrow and literally fell off one day) and several other problems I've been trying to rectify the past few years. Most notable source of trouble is the electric system, which is made out of American parts and designed by French (with an exception to the washer bottle and the wiper interval circuitry, which were made by Lucas).
So I got it resprayed in the correct colour (Rouge Mephisto) and fitted a stainless steel exhaust. After the electrics went on fire (!) I've replaced the wiring, cut out the connectors and soldered the wires together. Later I found someone who had the original rims for sale, had them sandblasted and powder coated and fitted them with new Uniroyal Rallye 550 tyres as per Roy's advice (front 185/55HR14, rear 195/60HR14).
Finally, I've got married last year and the car was an obvious choice to carry me and my soon-to-be-wife to the wedding:
The car is in an underground parking beneath the nearby shopping centre for just a bit less than 50 quid a month (60,50 Euro). I don't need a car to go to work and my wife's Focus serves as the family car (as per Jeremy Clarkson's advice! She once saw Top Gear on the telly and JC was praising the Focus for being the best handling family car, so she got one)
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