Matra Djet
| Matra Djet | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Automobiles René Bonnet, Matra Automobiles |
| Also called | René Bonnet Djet, Matra Bonnet Djet, Matra Sports Djet, Matra Sports Jet |
| Production | 1962–1964 (René Bonnet), 1965-1967 (Matra) |
| Assembly | France |
| Designer |
René Bonnet, Jacques Hubert (original design) Philippe Guédon (redesign) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door berlinette |
| Layout | MR layout |
| Related |
Renault 8 (engines), Renault Estafette (gearbox) |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1108 cc Renault Cléon-Fonte ohv I4, 1255 cc Renault Cléon-Fonte ohv I4 (tuned by Gordini) |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2.40 metres (94.5 in) |
| Length | 4.22 metres (166.1 in) |
| Width | 1.50 metres (59.1 in) |
| Height | 1.20 metres (47.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 660 kg (1,455 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | none |
| Successor | Matra 530 |
The Matra Djet is a French sports car that was originally designed and sold by René Bonnet. As the Bonnet Djet it was the world's first mid-engined production road car. Different versions of the car were produced from 1962 until 1967 and sold under a variety of names that included René Bonnet Djet, Matra Bonnet Djet, Matra Sports Djet and finally, Matra Sports Jet.
The car started out as the René Bonnet Djet in June 1962. This model became known in retrospect as the Djet I. The car was named "Djet" because Bonnet thought the French would not pronounce the word "jet" correctly. It was powered by a 65 PS (48 kW) 1,108 cc engine from a Renault 8 in a mid-engine location mated to a gearbox from the Renault Estafette van. This power-train gave the car a top speed of 165 km/h (103 mph), or 190 km/h (118 mph) in the later Djet III with a Gordini engine. The fiberglass body was made by Matra, and was bonded directly to a steel chassis. The Djets were built in a factory in Romorantin owned by Matra. The competition Aérodjet of 1963 (pictured in the gallery) came with special long-tailed bodywork and bigger fenders to accommodate wider wheels.
The Djet's suspension was quite advanced for the time, being a fully independent system having upper and lower A-arms with coil springs and disc brakes at all four wheels. The car accommodated just two people, as the engine took the space where a rear seat would otherwise be. The Djet I was 3,800 mm (149.6 in) long by 1,400 mm (55.1 in) wide by 1,150 mm (45.3 in) high and weighed only 600 kg (1,323 lb). Announced in 1962, the Bonnet Djet was the world's first mid-engined production road car, beating the De Tomaso Vallelunga which was introduced in 1963, even though the first production Djets did not leave the factory until July 1963. During the two years before Matra took over, 198 Bonnet Djets were produced, with all but 19 being built to the lower-powered Djet I specification. After becoming the Matra Djet in 1964 a further 1,491 cars were produced before production ended in 1968. Fewer than 60 Vallelungas were built before De Tomaso replaced it with the Mangusta in 1967.
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