Wikipedia

Matra Sports V12 engine

The Matra Sports V12 engine is a family of automotive internal combustion engines built for Formula One (F1) and sports car endurance racing. Cars powered by versions of the engine won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1972, 1973, and 1974, and gave Matra the World Championship for Makes title in 1973 and 1974.[1][2] The Matra Sports V12 is also remembered for its distinctive sound.[3][4][5]

Matra Sports V12 engine
Matra MS9 V12 engine in MS11 F1 car
Overview
ManufacturerFrance Matra
DesignerGeorges Martin
Production1968–1982
Layout
Displacement2993 cc
Cylinder bore79.7 mm
Piston stroke50 mm
Cylinder block materialAluminum
Cylinder head materialAluminum
ValvetrainGear driven DOHC, 4 valves × cyl.
Compression ratio11:1
Combustion
Oil systemDry sump
Cooling systemWater-cooled
Output
Power output450 bhp (336 kW) at 11,000 rpm
Torque output343 N⋅m (253 lbf⋅ft) at 8,000 rpm
Dimensions
Dry weight168 kg (370 lb)

History

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Starting with the 1966 season, F1's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), raised the displacement limit for naturally aspirated cars to 3.0-litres.[6]

Georges Martin was a French engineer who joined Matra at the end of 1966 at the invitation of Philippe Guédon, a former colleague of his at Simca.[7] Jean-Luc Lagardère, Matra's CEO, informed Martin that his first project would be to design an engine for the new F1 rules with a specific output target of 150 horsepower per litre.[8][9][7] Lagardère had already determined that the new engine would be a V12.[7]

Work on the Matra Sports V12 began in 1967. The project was underwritten by a loan of six million francs from the French government (approximately US$1,200,000), and, after Lagardère met with Jean Prada, head what became the French oil company Elf Aquitaine in April of 1967, an additional two million francs (US$400,000).[10][11][12][13]

Development took place in Matra's base in Vélizy-Villacoublay.[4] Leading the effort were Martin and his colleague Georges Chariatte.[10][14] René Fortin was responsible for testing and development.[7]

Martin quietly negotiated an agreement with British Racing Motors (BRM) for the British firm to design a considerable portion of the engine, including the camshafts, cam drives, and tappets, among other items, while Martin and his team would design the cylinder heads and combustion chamber shapes. This arrangement fell apart after Sir Alfred Owen, Chairman of Rubery Owen and head of BRM, disclosed BRM's involvement in designing the engine for the new "all French" F1 car at a British motor industry dinner. BRM's contract was cancelled, and Matra continued work with French engineering firm and engine specialist Moteur Moderne.[15][12][3]

Moteur Moderne was contracted to produce three prototype engines.[16][17][12] The cylinder blocks for the prototype engines were made of aluminum, while the production block, and possibly the cylinder heads, were to be of magnesium.[4][18] Production of the first test engine took only seven months, and the V12 was first fired up on a test bench on 19 December 1967.[10]

Matra planned to unveil a V12-powered road car in 1971.[19] A later model MS81 V12 was installed in an extensively modified Matra Murena by the factory.[20][21]

Beginning in the 1972 season, the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI) amended the rules for sports prototypes by combining the previous Group 5 and Group 6 classes into a single new Group 5 class with no minimum production requirement and a maximum displacement limit of 3.0-litres, eliminating the 5.0-litre cars that had raced in earlier seasons, and opening a new competition venue for the Matra V12.[2]

Common features

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All members of the Matra Sports V12 family are water-cooled, four-stroke V12 engines with an included angle of 60° between cylinder banks. All engines in the family also have the same bore × stroke dimensions of 79.7 mm × 50 mm (3.14 in × 1.97 in), and total displacement of 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in). The block and cylinder heads are of light alloy. The block uses wet liners in the cylinder bores.[3] The crankshaft has six throws and seven main bearings, and is machined from a solid billet. The engine has two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank driven by a straight-cut geartrain, and four valves per cylinder.[4]

Over the life of the engine family, outputs for individual versions ranged from 395–520 hp (295–388 kW; 400–527 PS), and 198–253 lb⋅ft (268–343 N⋅m) of torque.[3]

Variants

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MS9

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Matra Sports MS9 V12

The MS9 was the first model of the Matra Sports V12 to race. Its intake ports are placed between the camshafts on each cylinder head, so that the intake trumpet above each port angled outward on an assembled engine. Some models also had a "pipe organ" exhaust system consisting of a trio of long straight pipes running down each side of the engine.

The included angle between the valves is 56°, raising the height of the combustion chamber and requiring a high dome on the piston to achieve the desired compression ratio.[3]

Unlike the Cosworth DFV, the MS9 was not designed to be a load-bearing part of the car's structure.[3]

The MS9 produced 395 PS (291 kW) at 10,500 rpm.[22] It was presented to motoring journalists on January 11, 1968 at Vélizy-Villacoublay.[23]

Applications:

MS12

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The MS12 engine was the result of a significant redesign of Matra's V12 engine. A single-cylinder test engine was built by Moteur Moderne to experiment with combustion chamber design. When the data from the test engine were applied to the V12, it resulted in an included angle of 33½° degrees between intake and exhaust valves. Valve diameters in early engines were 31 mm for intakes and 27 mm for exhausts, while on later motors these dimensions increased to 33 mm and 27.2 mm.[3] The intake ports were moved to the side of the cylinder head, indicated by two rows of six trumpets that are mounted vertically in the vee of the cylinder block.

The oil scavenge and pressure pumps for the dry sump system were moved from their position below the crankshaft in the MS9, to the front of the crankcase below the water pump. This had the benefit of reducing the height of the engine assembly.[3] The same 120° steel crankshaft was used as on the MS9, but there was less free space around it in the MS12, to reduce windage losses. Connecting rods were 116 mm long titanium parts, with 44 mm big ends. The pistons are flat-topped, fully-skirted forged aluminum parts.

The MS12 was designed to handle suspension loads fed into a strengthened sump and new structural members bolted to the sides of the top of each cylinder heads.[7][3] The block and heads were both castings of AS9KG aluminum alloy. The heads were attached by 14 studs, with an additional 6 cap screws threaded from the block into the head on the outboard, exhaust side.[3]

The first generation MS12 developed 435 PS (320 kW) at 11,000 rpm, and was ready for the 1970 racing season.[22]

Applications:

MS71

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The next iteration of the Matra Sports V12 was the MS71, which debuted in 1971. It produced 440 PS (324 kW) at 11,000 rpm.[22]

Applications:

  • Matra MS120C
  • Matra MS120D

MS72

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The MS72 went into service in 1972. Its power output is 485 PS (357 kW) at 11,800 rpm.[22]

Applications:

  • Matra MS120C
  • Matra MS120D

MS73

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This engine, also called the MS12/73, saw service in both F1 and sports cars in 1975 and 1976. It developed 490 PS (360 kW) at 11,500 rpm.[22]

Applications:

MS76

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The MS76 powered two different Ligier F1 models in 1977 and 1978. It produced 520 PS (382 kW) at 12,300 rpm.[22]

Applications:

MS78

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The MS78 was the Ligier F1 team's engine for two models in 1978. Power output is 520 PS (382 kW) at 12,300 rpm.[22]

Applications:

  • Ligier JS7
  • Ligier JS9

MS81

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The MS81 engine was used by a different F1 Ligier model in 1981–1982. It was also installed in a prototype road car. In racing trim it developed 520 PS (382 kW) at 13,000 rpm.[22] It was detuned for the road car application.

Applications:

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrants Chassis Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Points WCC
1968 Matra Sports Matra MS11 Matra V12 D RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER ITA CAN USA MEX 8 9th
  Jean-Pierre Beltoise Ret 8 2 9 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret
  Henri Pescarolo Ret DNS 9
1970 Equipe Matra Elf Matra MS120 Matra V12 G RSA ESP MON BEL NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA MEX 23 6th
  Jean-Pierre Beltoise 4 Ret Ret 3 5 13 Ret Ret 6 3 8 Ret 5
  Henri Pescarolo 7 Ret 3 6 8 5 Ret 6 14 Ret 7 8 9
1971 Equipe Matra Sports Matra MS120B Matra V12 G RSA ESP MON NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 9 7th
  Chris Amon 5 3 Ret Ret 5 Ret Ret 6 10 12
  Jean-Pierre Beltoise 6 Ret 9 7 7 Ret 8
1972 Equipe Matra Sports Matra MS120C
Matra MS120D 		Matra V12 G ARG RSA ESP MON BEL FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA 12 8th
  Chris Amon Ret 15 Ret 6 6 3 4 15 5 Ret 6 15
1975 UOP Shadow Racing Shadow DN7 Matra V12 G ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA 0 NC
  Jean-Pierre Jarier Ret Ret
1976 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS5 Matra V12 G BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN 20 6th
  Jacques Laffite Ret Ret 4 12 3 12 4 14 DSQ Ret 2 Ret 3 Ret Ret 7
1977 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS7 Matra V12 G ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN 18 8th
  Jacques Laffite NC Ret Ret 9 7 7 Ret 1 8 6 Ret Ret 2 8 7 Ret 5
  Jean-Pierre Jarier Ret
1978 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS7
Ligier JS7/9
Ligier JS9 		Matra V12 G ARG BRA RSA USW MON BEL ESP SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN 19 6th
  Jacques Laffite 16 9 5 5 Ret 5 3 7 7 10 3 5 8 4 11 Ret
1981 Equipe Talbot Gitanes Ligier JS17 Matra V12 M USW BRA ARG SMR BEL MON ESP FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN CPL 44 4th
  Jean-Pierre Jarier Ret 7
  Jean-Pierre Jabouille DNQ NC Ret DNQ Ret
  Patrick Tambay Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret
  Jacques Laffite Ret 6 Ret Ret 2 3 2 Ret 3 3 1 Ret Ret 1 6
1982 Equipe Talbot Gitanes Ligier JS17
Ligier JS17B
Ligier JS19 		Matra V12 M RSA BRA USW SMR BEL MON DET CAN NED GBR FRA GER AUT SUI ITA CPL 20 8th
  Eddie Cheever Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 2 10 DNQ Ret 16 Ret Ret Ret 6 3
  Jacques Laffite Ret Ret Ret 9 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret 14 Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret

World Sportscar Championship results

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The table below summarizes the results obtained by Matra's World Sportscar Championship cars fitted with the Matra Sports V12:

Year Event Team Car Engine Power at rpm Driver Position
1968 24 Hours of Le Mans Matra Sports Matra MS630 MS9 390 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Servoz-Gavin DNF
1972 24 Hours of Le Mans Equipe Matra-Simca Shell Matra MS670 MS12 435 at 11,000 Pescarolo-Hill 1
1972 24 Hours of Le Mans Equipe Matra-Simca Shell Matra MS670 MS12 435 at 11,000 Cevert-Ganley 2
1973 6 Hours of Vallelunga1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500[25] Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1973 1000 km of Digione1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1973 24 Hours of Le Mans1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1973 24 Hours of Le Mans1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500 Jabouille-Jaussaud 3
1973 1000 km Zeltweg1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1973 6 Hours of Watkins Glen1 Equipe Matra-Simca Matra MS670B MS12 450 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1974 1000 km of Spa2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670C MS12/73 490 at 11,500[26] Jarier-Ickx 1
1974 1000 km of Nürburgring2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Jarier-Beltoise 1
1974 1000 km of Imola2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670B/C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1974 24 Hours of Le Mans2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670B MS12/73 450 at 10,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1974 24 Hours of Le Mans2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670B MS12/73 450 at 10,500 Jabouille-Migault 3
1974 1000 km Zeltweg2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670B/C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
1974 6 Hours of Watkins Glen2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Jarier-Beltoise 1
1974 1000 km of Le Castellet2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Jarier-Beltoise 1
1974 1000 km of Brands Hatch2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Jarier-Beltoise 1
1974 6 Hours of Kyalami2 Equipe Gitanes Matra MS670B/C MS12/73 490 at 11,500 Pescarolo-Larrousse 1
Note:
1Valid for the 1973 Sports Prototype Championship, at the end of which Matra will be the overall winner
2Valid for the 1974 Sports Prototype Championship, at the end of which Matra will be the overall winner

Proposed replacements

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MS71 flat 12

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In 1971 Matra Sports developed a 3.0-litre flat-twelve engine for their MS120B F1 car.[4] A prototype with an aluminium crankcase is part of the engine display at the Matra Museum in Romorantin-Lanthenay.

MS82 V6

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Work began on a new turbocharged F1 engine at the end of the 1980 season.[27] Martin left the choice of the engine's configuration up to the customer bankrolling the project.[7]

In the end the configuration chosen was a V6 with a 120° bank angle. Bore × stroke were 80 mm × 49.6 mm (3.1 in × 2.0 in), for a total displacement of 1,496 cc (91.3 cu in). The engine weighed 144 kg (317 lb). A power output of 650 PS (480 kW) was observed during a test run in 1982, with outputs of up to 805 PS (592 kW) predicted in the future. At the end of that year, Matra owner Peugeot declined to finance further development, and their chief client, the Ligier F1 team, opted to buy Renault engines instead."[28]

Replica/continuation engines

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After becoming established as a rebuilder of original Matra Sports MS76 engines, the Nicholson-McLaren company was commissioned to produce a run of ten reproduction engines. A set of complete drawings for the engine block, cylinder heads, crankshafts, and all anciliaries was created based on original blueprints, scans of original components, and reverse-engineering of original Matra parts.[29][30]

References

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  1. ^ "Matra en Compétition : Au Mans et en Sport Prototype" [Matra in Competition: At Le Mans and in Sport Prototype]. www.matra-passion.com (in French).
  2. ^ a b Radu, Vlad (28 August 2023). "Matra MS670: The Underdog Story of the French Car That Won Le Mans Three Times in a Row". www.autoevolution.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ludvigsen, Karl E. (28 August 2017). "1970 Matra MS12 3-Litre V12". Classic Racing Engines. Bentley Publishers. pp. 190–193. ISBN 978-0837617343.
  4. ^ a b c d e Moore, Jonathan (9 October 2013). "Sonic Destroyers: It's a V12 Thing". www.speedhunters.com.
  5. ^ Frankel, Andrew (November 2021). "The V12 engine's greatest hits". www.motorsportmagazine.com.
  6. ^ Williamson, Martin. "A timeline of Formula One". en.espn.co.uk.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Georges Martin — Team Grente Associés" (in French). Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Matra en Compétition : De la Formule 3 à la Formule 1" [Matra in Competition: From Formula 3 to Formula 1]. www.matra-passion.com (in French).
  9. ^ "Georges Martin". sitematrarama.free.fr (in French).
  10. ^ a b c Fagnan, René (19 December 2022). "19 décembre : Premier test au banc d'essais du fabuleux moteur V12 Matra, en 1967" [December 19: First test bench of the fabulous Matra V12 engine, in 1967]. www.poleposition.ca (in French).
  11. ^ Nye, Doug (1 March 2017). "Doug Nye: The golden era of Matra Sports". ww.goodwood.com.
  12. ^ a b c Ludvigsen, Karl E. (June 2005). "Chapter 11: Competition Ambitions". The V12 Engine. Haynes Publishing. pp. 273–278. ISBN 1-84425-004-0.
  13. ^ "Constructors — Matra Sports SARL". www.grandprix.com.
  14. ^ "L'épopée Matra en Sport Auto, de la F1 aux 24 Heures du Mans" [The Matra epic in Motorsport, from F1 to the 24 Hours of Le Mans]. www.blog-moteur.com. 5 November 2017.
  15. ^ Nye, Doug (23 December 1976). "The shambles, success and demise of Britain's first big F1 team". www.motorsport.com.
  16. ^ "Matra-Simca MS670 Group 5 1972". www.gtplanet.net. 14 March 2019.
  17. ^ Melissen, Wouter (4 April 2007). "Matra MS670B". www.ultimatecarpage.com.
  18. ^ Campi, Massimo (24 August 2021). "V12 Matra Sports, sinfonia francese" [Matra Sports V12, French symphony]. www.motoremotion.it (in Italian).
  19. ^ Jenkinson, Denis (February 1968). "Matra Racing". Motor Sport.
  20. ^ "Matra Murena 'Specials' 1980-today" (PDF). rarefrenchsportscars.files.wordpress.com.
  21. ^ "Talbot Matra Murena Protypes [sic]". www.matra-passion.com (in French). 4 November 2006.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h Alicia. "Engine Matra". www.statsf1.com.
  23. ^ McDonough, Ed (15 May 2010). Matra Sports Cars: MS620, 630, 650, 660 & 670 — 1966 to 1974. Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1845842611.
  24. ^ "Matra — Grands Prix started 1975". www.statsf1.com.
  25. ^ Nick D (18 April 2016). "1973 Matra-Simca MS 670B". www.supercars.net.
  26. ^ Melissen, Wouter (25 March 2013). "Matra MS670C". www.ultimatecarpage.com.
  27. ^ Dewael, André. "Le V6 turbo". sitematrarama.free.fr (in French).
  28. ^ Schmidt, Michael (7 January 2023). "F1-Motoren ohne Renneinsatz" [Unraced F1 engines]. www.auto-motor-und-sport.de (in German).
  29. ^ RSM (21 December 2012). "70s Back In Fashion". Racecar Engineering.
  30. ^ "Matra - Nicholson McLaren Engines". nicholsonmclaren.com. 9 July 2021.

Further reading

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  • Rosinski, José (1 December 1997). Matra — la saga, 1965-1982 (in French). ETAI. ISBN 978-2726883013.
  • Delaroche, Frédéric (1 January 1982). MATRA la puissance et la gloire [MATRA the power and the glory] (in French). Jacques Grancher. ISBN 978-2733900338.
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