1981 Matra Murena 2.2 from Netherlands - Comments

Replaced the battery.

New water pump.

New clutch; It was not worn at all when I bought it. However, due to material failure a spring broke off and demolished the clutch. This was pure bad luck and had nothing to do with the car in general.

Fixed several things on the headlight circuitry. The pop-up system is vacuum operated and the tubing started to leak (after 20 years). The change-over valve sticks now and then, causing the headlights to not pop up. Also, I had a small problem with the headlight relay unit, which ran hot due to bad electrical contacts. All these things were very easy to repair, once located.

A couple of electrical problems, including a battery indicator that does not work and a faulty windshield washer switch.

Trailing arms are the only parts on a Murena that can rust and unfortunately, the right trailing arm of my car is rusting; this goes from within. I had them checked in November and at that moment they were OK for the MOT.

Interior parts are coming loose; have to bond in Rawlplugs to fixate the screws. Also, the seats are showing wear.

It would seem that the running costs are pretty high, but once I have all of the above failures repaired, it will be a pretty reliable car which needs only regular maintenance.

The handling and cornering capability of a Matra Murena is fabulous, thanks to the mid-engined layout. However, the engine should be more powerful; 118 hp is nothing compared to modern sportscars.

The whole chassis is galvanized so it won't rust, except for the rear trailing arms. Body panels are made out of glassfibre re-enforced polyester and do not rust either.

It is a sportscar, but it has comfortable suspension so it won't shake your body all the time when driving on country roads.

The boot is very small; not a car to move large things around with.

Note that the car has officially been sold under the Talbot (formerly Simca) brand, so it says Talbot-Matra on the back. However, the registration papers say "Matra" brand name and "Talbot Murena 2.2" type designation.

I have recently bought one of these and seem to have similar electrical problems as you.

The battery indicator light is always on above 2000rpm and the screen washer switch only works intermittently.

Once all the electrical gremlins are sorted out, if ever, it will be a lovely car. The handling is fantastic and mine has just enough power as it has been fitted with twn Dellorto carbs and a hotter cam.

It also has a 4 branch exhaust manifold and a quad exit exhaust - an old Peugeot engine has never sounded better!

It's been a few years since I wrote this review and still drive the car. I had a few extra problems, most notably a fire due to short circuit in the wiring loom. The battery and alternator have been replaced, the warning light is working again. But every time I take the Murena out for a drive it is smiles from the driver and gazes from the boy racer brigade. I had the car resprayed in its correct original colour ("Rouge Mephisto") and replacing all the door rubbers helps keeping the water out when it's raining!

Yes, the twin carb and hotter cam setup should have been fitted on every 2.2 Murena straight off the factory! Too bad they only came with the very rare "Préparation 142" kit and were standard only the very last model year on the 2.2S. It gives the car more power (142 hp instead of 118). I got rid of the quad pipe Devil, since they rust like there's no tomorrow and have a very poor airflow design. I kept the four branch manifold and fitted a stainless steel single exhaust pipe.

I bought one of these (a 2.2) about 3 years ago, and used it as my only car for a year.

Though it's quite tough for a car that old, I wouldn't recommend it as an every day driver... In the end I had to take it off the road as the list of pending repairs grew over my head, and I didn't have the time to fix everything the "proper" way.

- I don't agree on the handling.. It's "fair" nothing more, and in the wet you have to be careful. Correct tyres are essential for handling, braking and road holding.

- Cabin is small with little headroom (though not any more so than a lot of contemporary sports cars like the Lotus Esprit etc), and the gear lever might get in the way of your right leg.

- Cylinder heads are prone to cracking if overheated, or if you push it hard while the engine is cold.

- The standard mechanical fuel pump will leak and spit fire onto the exhaust manifold (this is a fact.. it happens!)

- Timing chain cover is also prone to leak oil.

Apart from that, any further faults are minor and to be expected from an old sports car such as this.

I would highly recommend this car as a "classic" car for anyone who don't fancy the prospect of mending or tending a rotting chassis. It's good value for money and with only about 10500 ever made, very exclusive. Yet.. most spare parts can still be bought (online) from specialist vendors in Germany and the UK.

Re the previous commenter: please check your tire pressure! This is vital for the Murena's road holding. Front 1.8 bar, rear 2.4, that is, if you are using the original 14" rims with 60% profile tires (Pirelli P6 and the like). The "S"-spec Murena takes 2.5 bar at the rear and so should bigger rims (I have 15"). And I totally agree that in the wet you should be careful, but that applies to all rear wheel drive, mid engined cars.

Also, engine overheating is usually caused by failures in the cooling system. Do not push your 2.2 hard in the first 15 minutes or so, there is 11 litres of coolant to be heated. And yes, the mechanical fuel pump is prone to leakage, best to replace it with an electrical pump.

Finally, about the interior space, I had a Peugeot 106 for daily driving when I wrote the review back in 2001, but my current daily driver is a Peugeot 308 which makes my Murena look very, very cramped indeed. But then again, this is a classic sports car, not a shopping cart.

Cheers!