Adieu Matra

Strange, I think it has been news for longer than a week, but Matra Automobiles is no longer, it's a stiff, an ex-Matra, to say with John Cleese.

However small a company, it means a lot in terms of part of automotive history not in the last place in F1.

Due to my age, I'll remember it most for the remarkable cars they made for both Renault and Talbot née Simca. In a way, the Matra Simca Rancho was the founding father of the SUV, allthough it didn't have FWD. And of course, the Renault Espace was not the first, that was the Chrysler Voyager, but anyway the most extreme first example of the MPV. Beside all this they produces little gems like the Djet and the Talbot Bagheera. Last was the Avantime. You love it or you hate it. But if someone wanted to stand from the crowd (BMW 3 Coupé, Merc CLK) this car is really fantastic and I personally think it's beautifull. It's a future Classic.

In the young 80's, I was a supporter of the Ligier team that run Matra V12's under the name of Talbot. Jaques Laffite was running up for the '81 championship and it is a shame it was all blown at Zandvoort.

Now all is said and done, I think it's a great loss for history this small company is no longer.
Matra, Rest In Peace, may Renault guard your creative inheritance and keep on building something different.

But today is : "Adieu Jean-Luc"

Jean Luc Lagardère is dead today at 75.

He joined Matra (from Dassault) in the late 50s and his creator, Silvain Floirat.

He became the CEO of Matra and has been very active in the Matra racing challenge.

He has also converted the Matra group from weapons to a very large communications company.

The cause of his death is very representative of his skill : he die from the consequence of leg surgery he wanted to continue skiing and other physical activity.

Y.

No27 : perhaps you can change the topic title to reflect this news ?

Y.

Incredible but true,

The news of Lagardere death was wrong. It has been published on all broadcast. I hear an interview from Serge Dassault at the radio ...
Totally disgunsting ...

But he is still not shure to recover of his state. Waiting for a miracle ...

Y.

Very sad for me, as I am a big fan of "obscure" French automobiles. I have had 2 DBs and 3 Matra Jets over the years. The sounds of the V12 sports and F1 cars were amongst the best ever.

Somehow I beleive there will be a new wail being heard up there!

Jean-Luc Lagardère is dead the Friday 14th at 22:56 MET.

So his death was reported by the media only 18 hours before it hapened

Even if he was not the creator of Matra, he was his leader when the company start the motor racing challenge.
Matra has been the most successfull racing car maker with Bugatti (but an italien manager) and Renault. (no, I don't forget Delage nor Delahaye but I think they have not achieve the same level of succes).
And this probably have never hapened without him.

This is probably pure coïncidence to have in just a couple of weeks, both Matra Automobile and is charismatic manager desappear

Y.