Matra MS620

The Matra MS620 (sometimes referred to as the M620) was a Group 6 sports prototype built by Matra in 1966, and was the second such car built by the company. Fitted with a 1.9-litre version of the BRM Formula One V8 engine, four cars were built, but were mostly used as developmental cars. In 1967, the MS620 was replaced by the 3-litre Matra MS630, although it was used in the Le Mans Test of that year, fitted with a 4.7-litre Ford V8 engine.

Racing history

In 1966, Matra decided to build their second sports prototype;^[2] designed to the Group 6 regulations, the car featured a 1.9-litre version of the BRM Formula One V8 engine (capable of producing 245 hp (183 kW; 248 PS) at 9,000 RPM), and was named as the MS620.^[1] Four cars were built, and the car made its first appearance at the Le Mans Test in April 1966,^[3] setting the tenth fastest time in the hands of Jo Schlesser, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Johnny Servoz-Gavin.^[4] The MS620 made its racing at the 1000 km of Monza, which was the third round of the World Sportscar Championship; Servoz-Gavin and Jassaud shared the sole MS620 present (a second entry, with Ernesto Brambilla earmarked to drive it, never materialized) but were not classified.^[5] Matra's next entry came at the 1000 km of Spa, where Servoz-Gavin was joined by Alan Rees, but a fuel system issue prevented the pair from finishing the race.^[6] Both drivers were entered for the 1000 km of Nürburgring, but did not race.^[7]

For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Matra entered three MS620s; with Jassaud and Henri Pescarolo driving car #02, Schlesser and Rees driving car #03, and Jean-Pierre Beltoise partnering Servoz-Gavin in car #04.^[8] However, all three cars retired; car #02 with engine failure after 38 laps, car #03 after an accident after 100 laps, and the other MS620 after a gearbox failure on lap 112.^[9] Matra then opted to enter Beltoise at the Trophée d'Auvergne non-championship event, and he finished the race, albeit in 17th and last place,^[10] following a battery failure after 11 laps.^[1] Beltoise was behind the wheel of the MS620 in another non-championship event, this time held at Magny-Cours, and he won the event.^[11] Matra then attempted to enter Schlesser at the Hockenheim Grand Prix, but did not attend the event.^[12] Instead, the car's next race came at the non-championship Coupe de Paris, where Servoz-Gavin took second place.^[13] Beltoise was next behind the wheel of a MS620 at the Coupes du Salon, but he crashed out of the event.^[14] Matra finished the season by entering two cars at the 1000 km of Paris; Jassaud and Pescarolo and one, with Beltoise partnering Servoz-Gavin in the other.^[15] Once more, however, neither car finished, as the car of Beltoise and Servoz-Gavin crashed out after 14 laps, and ignition problems forced Jaussaud and Pescarolo out on lap 43.^[16] This would prove to be the car's last race, although Jassaud and Roby Weber did set the eighth fastest time at the Le Mans Test in 1967 (the BRM engine having been replaced by a 4.7-litre Ford V8, capable of producing 385 hp (287 kW; 390 PS) at 6,500 rpm) - the latter dying in an accident whilst driving the MS620's replacement, the Matra MS630.^[17]

References

Further reading

• McDonough, Ed (28 January 2010). Matra Sports Cars: MS620, 630, 650, 660 and 670 - 1966 to 1974 - WSC Giants. Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN 9781845842611.