Sacre Bleu! Matra V-12 Prototype Cutaways and Video

I really love these cutaway illustrations by Robert Roux, showing the inner workings of the Matra Prototype race cars.  The Matra V-12 has one of the most spine-tingling, ear-shattering mechanical banshee screams I have ever heard. It was not terribly successful in an F1 chassis, but in the Matra sports prototypes, it propelled the French aerospace company, formerly occupied with advanced missile systems, to 3 time outright victory at La Sarthe in 1972-74.

The good part starts around 0:35 when they fire it up! The exquisite part starts around 1:18 when the dumb piano music fades out and they really uncork it!!

Comments

[Tom Tanner]

Nothing sounds like a MATRA V12! LOUD! The BRM V12's are just as good, but have their own special crackle. I almost lost my hearing when a P160 did a burn out next to me at the Road America historical races.

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2011-Chicago April 2011

[Brittanie Holderness]

It's loud and proud! The illustrations rock! It's like staring at the skeletal and nervous system of a car. It's a nice thought. In its own way, it gives a car something similar to a personality.