Nearly New Matra MS630 Sports Prototype Continuation

Whether you agree with continuation cars or not the opportunity to own a nearly new Matra MS630 Sports Prototype is a good thing. 2007 isn’t that new, but it’s a lot newer than the original and somewhat more available.

Matra are famous for aerospace (Mécanique Aviation TRAction) but for a while they became famous for motor sports. In 1964 the company set up Matra Sport to promote the company internationally. CEO Jean-Luc Lagardère was in charge of the division and the programme of Formula 1 and Sports Prototype competition. Choosing V12 power as Ferrari had done what followed was an amazing feat of motor sport achievements as Matra managed to win the Formula 1 World Championship in 1969 as Matra-Ford. They also won Le Mans three times in a row from 1972 to 1974.

The MS630 was built for the 1967 season and became a very important part of Matra history. Originally designed to take the 3.0 litre V12 formula 1 engine it first raced with a 2.0 litre BRM V8.

Delays to the V12 development saw an interim car produced with a 4.7 litre V8 from a Ford GT40, chassis 02. Henri Pescarolo and Johnny Servoz-Gavin drove the MS630-Ford and were very quick compared to the JWA GT40s and the Porsche prototypes. In 1967 at Monthléry the MS630 showed an amazing turn of speed and in 1968 at Le Mans, Servoz-Gavin and Pescarolo with the MS630 V12 were running 2nd until a tyre blow-out forced retirement.

The Matra-Ford chassis later received the Matra V12 engine bringing an end to the Matra-Fords. One of the MS630s was destroyed, another belongs to Matra and the other two are in private ownership and not raced or even shown.,

In 2007 the Lagardère Group, owners of the Matra brand, authorised the build of continuation cars completing the missing link between the MS620 and MS650 completing the line of Matra prototypes.

This particular car is chassis number MS630-05 and was built by ex Matra staff using original drawings and the authorisation from Matra. It received a factory Matra chassis number and chassis plate.

This particular car has been constructed to the highest standards and to the original blueprints. Weighing only 820kg and fitted with a high performance Ford GT40 specification engine it has been demonstrating its capability as a historic racer. The Ford engined car makes for a practical historic race car with cheaper running costs than a Formula 1 V12.

A few test sessions saw the car acquire the FIA HTP paperwork and it was entered in the 2013 Master Series at the Barcelona and Dijon rounds, putting in laps of 2m 05 seconds and 1m 30 seconds. Faster than the GT40s on the first two outings.

In 2014 the car was prepared by Art & Revs and was given the latest specification engine and a variety of period correct modifications. The MS630 was entered into the Dayton Classic and won the qualifying race on the Friday, lapping at 1m 57 Seconds consistently. Apparently, the biggest surprise was the cars stability being able to run at 295 km/h on the banking. this display secured the car an extensive article in Vintage Motorsport Magazine.

Seeing a Matra being raced is quite a rare event, normally the sort of thing saved for the Le Mans Classic, but one that you could buy and use hard is even rarer. This car was available through Bonhams Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris sale, though may still be available. The estimate of € 350,000 – 550,000, or US$ 400,000 – 630,000 seems to make the car good value as to replicate the build and specification would be far more than that.

One to look out for on the historic grids.