1966 Matra Djet

The Djet, a two-seater sports car model, made its debut in 1962. Originally developed and produced in 198 units by the French manufacturer René Bonnet, it was later manufactured by Matra Sports, totaling 1,495 units from 1964 to 1968.

This car made history as the first to adopt the mid-rear engine structure from racing cars for on-road use. This innovative design was later widely adopted by other prestigious sports models such as the De Tomaso Vallelunga (1964), the Lotus Europe (1965), the Lamborghini Miura (1966), and Ferrari's Dino 246 GT (1968).

In 1964, Matra Sports took over the financially struggling René Bonnet, following the commercial failure of the Djet, and continued to develop and market the 5 and 6 versions.

The Djet V underwent a redesign with modified bodywork, including an enlarged front air intake, a more spacious trunk due to an extension of the rear overhang, widened rear wheel arches, a rear hatch opening from back to front, a horizontal bumper, and taillights from the Simca 1300/1500. It was powered by a Renault Sport Alpine Gordini 5-bearing engine, offering two power levels: 70 hp for the Djet V and 94 hp for the Djet V S.

In 1965, Matra offered a Matra-Bonnet Djet to the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin during his visit to France. Unfortunately, production of this model ceased the same year Gagarin tragically passed away in an accident.

The Matra we are offering is complete and has already undergone restoration of the chassis, upholstery, and paint. Work has also been done on the Alpine engine and Weber carburetors. However, the current owner, lacking the time to continue the restoration, wishes to sell it so that another enthusiast can complete this project.

Restored vehicle

Restoration photo documentation

Repainted

Original French vehicle

Mileage in kilometers

4 cylinders

Manual transmission

Left-hand drive