My Murena!
I own the Matra Murena shown on this picture. It's a 2.2 built in 1981.
I've been looking for a Matra since 1996, bought this one in November 2000 and I am very proud to finally own one :-)
Apart from the new paint and the 15" alloy wheels, the car is completely original.
Why a Murena?
It is so special!
See the sleek, aerodynamical design. There's that mid-engine. The unique three-seater concept. The glassfibre-reinforced polyester (grp) panels, which will never rust and are immune to small dents. And the exclusivity of a car almost nobodyis driving. People turn their heads as they see you driving by!
Specs
People asked me for specifications. Well, here they are:
(These specs apply to the Murena 2.2, there's also a 1.6 version of the Murena, with slight lesser specifications, but more fun due to the lighter overall weight of the car.)
Engine displacement: 2155 cc (taken from Talbot Tagora 2.2)
Type of engine: mid-mounted 4 cylinder OHC with electronic ignition and double-choke carburettor (Solex 34CIC)
Bore x stroke (mm): 91.7 x 81.6
Compression: 9.45:1 (needs Super Plus or Premium unleaded fuel)
Power: 118 hp (87 kW) at 5800 rpm
Torque: 185 Nm at 3000 rpm
Top speed: 197 km/h
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 9.3 sec., 0-1000 m in 30.4 sec.
Fuel consumption (theoretical): should be able of doing 6.9 l/100 km at 90 km/h constant
Fuel consumption (practical): 9 - 12 l/100 km on motorways, depending on weight on right foot ;-)
Weight of the car: 1033 kg
Size: 4.07 m length, 1.75 m width, 1.22 m height.
It is suitable for daily use
I bought the car from a young man who was more or less down on his luck. He was forced to sell his Murena, which he owned just three months. His previous car was also a Murena and he used this car as a daily driver. Not only to his work, but also to Belgium and France. He had no other car but this one.
Especially the 1.6 engine is known to be capable of doing way over 200,000 km without having to rebuild the engine. The 2.2 is a bit less rugged they say, however, I have over 150,000 kms on the clock now and I don't have to fill oil between oil changes.
Parts are sometimes a bit hard to get, but specialized garages like Carjoy and even some Peugeot dealers can supply you with everything you need. Most of the Murena comes from standard French production cars, like Citroën (gearbox), Talbot (engines) and Renault (brakes). I once handed the air filter element into a car parts store, the shop attendent said nothing, went into the storage, came back with a new one and said "Here you go, an air filter element for your Peugeot 205!".
(to be continued)
