Matra MS640
The Matra MS640 is a sports prototype race car, designed, developed, and built by the French manufacturer Matra in 1969. Two examples of this car were made: the original one from 1969 and the rebuild from 2005. Development Featuring a tubular trellis frame not very different from that of the MS650, the Matra MS640 coupe featured a drop-shaped bodywork designed by Robert Choulet, an aerodynamic engineer with previous experiences at Deutsch & Bonnet who was inspired by to his other creations. It had shapes that made it look like a record car, extremely elongated, with a very small cockpit covered by an equally small bubble roof, rounded wheel arches (which partially covered the wheels at the rear), and stabilizing fins on the tail. The power unit was the 420 Matra MS9 V12 3-liter, built-in 1968 on the initiative of the French government and already mounted on the Matra MS630. History and background After the creation of the MS630 for the 1968 season in accordance with the new regulations (prototypes with 3-liter displacement, sports cars with 5-liter displacement, and 50 units), a car that had performed well at the 24 Hours of Le Mans of that year holding the second place