CAR OF 1973 MATRA-SIMCA BAGHEERA

French aviation company Mécanique Aviation Traction – better known as Matra – diversified into building cars in 1964, making both racing and sporty road machines. It teamed up with Simca in 1969 to produce what was codenamed M550 and eventually surfaced in 1973 as the Bagheera. And, yes, its name really was taken from the black panther in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book.

Despite plundering the Chrysler/Simca parts bin and using small-ish 1294cc and 1442cc engines, the mid-engined format and streamlined lightweight glassfibre shape provided good performance and handling. Nevertheless, Germany still awarded the car a Silver Lemon award in 1975 for its early quality control issues.

A distinctive aspect of this very French sports car was managing to squeeze three seats up front, making it a little more practical than most midengined designs.

Manufacture continued until 1980, with 47,802 eventually appearing. The final ones were badged as Talbot-Matras.

One of the more intriguing ways of transporting three people around in something French.