Quite an interesting story that amplifies the French and their "own idea and bugger the rest" attitude. This is a shortened version of an article I found that interested me in the developments with completely different mindsets.
They took 2 x 1300 Simca engines and combined them next to one another and this layout did not create a V8, but a U8 - the two fours were still separate engines. The motors turn opposite ways and are linked by chain. But just as amazing were the very small changes needed to take the Bagheera from an 84 hp car to a 268 bhp (net) tourer.
Widening the car was not necessary because the U8 was mounted transversely. However, because of the extra "length" of the U8, the wheelbase was lengthened 14 cm (5.5 inches) to accommodate the mid-mounted engine. Wheel sizes and shock absorbers were uprated, also, to take the extra power of the U8. Matra made the engines contra-rotating to get around vibration problems as the engines spin faster but fitted a big flywheel to only one of the two banks. The mated engines were held in position by a reinforced alloy casing which also housed the timing chain gear for one bank of the twin fours and the special connecting chain between the two engines.
The rear suspension of the U8 Bagheera was the same as the one used on the Matra Formula One car - twin wishbones, trailing links, coil springs, enclosing shock absorbers.
Unfortunately this Matra came out at the same time as the fuel crisis that hit us and with 100 km/h in Europe the production was stopped after only 3 units were built. The 210km/h cars were not needed in times like this.
They took 2 x 1300 Simca engines and combined them next to one another and this layout did not create a V8, but a U8 - the two fours were still separate engines. The motors turn opposite ways and are linked by chain. But just as amazing were the very small changes needed to take the Bagheera from an 84 hp car to a 268 bhp (net) tourer.
Widening the car was not necessary because the U8 was mounted transversely. However, because of the extra "length" of the U8, the wheelbase was lengthened 14 cm (5.5 inches) to accommodate the mid-mounted engine. Wheel sizes and shock absorbers were uprated, also, to take the extra power of the U8. Matra made the engines contra-rotating to get around vibration problems as the engines spin faster but fitted a big flywheel to only one of the two banks. The mated engines were held in position by a reinforced alloy casing which also housed the timing chain gear for one bank of the twin fours and the special connecting chain between the two engines.
The rear suspension of the U8 Bagheera was the same as the one used on the Matra Formula One car - twin wishbones, trailing links, coil springs, enclosing shock absorbers.
Unfortunately this Matra came out at the same time as the fuel crisis that hit us and with 100 km/h in Europe the production was stopped after only 3 units were built. The 210km/h cars were not needed in times like this.
