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Talbot Matra Rancho - Leisure party (La Boum)

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Created in 2014

Text:

Stefan Pabeschitz

Photos:

Robert May

Archiv

Robert May

Archiv

Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - quite willing to corner

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - it can be around 145 km/h fast if necessary

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - on the road

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - a trendsetter?

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - rear view, note the standard trailer coupling

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - View into the load compartment with the seat bench folded down

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - and with the rear seat folded down, the volume is even greater

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - a lot fits in there, ...

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - View of the interior

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - Rear sliding window

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - off-road vehicle look inside

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - rudimentary instrumentation

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - view under the hood, the multi-tone horn is not standard

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - bright interior

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - robust appearance

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - Spare wheel is exposed to dirt

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Simca 1100 (1977) - technical basis for the Matra Simca Rancho

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - its strength is its versatility

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Matra-Simca Rancho (1977) - spacious station wagon with front-wheel drive and off-road vehicle look, price around 18,000 francs - Geneva Motor Show 1977

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - at the press launch

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - at the presentation

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - during the first press test drives

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - during press test drives

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - View of the interior at the press launch

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - large load compartment with seats folded down

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - top-mounted rear window wiper

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - in production

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - for adventurers

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - also in its element off-road?

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - large windows

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - Presentation in France

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - very early press photo

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Matra Simca Rancho (1978) - off the beaten track

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Matra Simca Rancho (1978) - on the road on dusty paths

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Matra-Simca Rancho (1979) - would be something for the little one, if only the pocket money was bigger - Geneva Motor Show 1979

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Matra Simca Rancho (1979) - All-purpose car

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Matra Simca Rancho Grand Raid (1980) - for the great and adventurous journey

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Talbot Matra Rancho (1980) - "Décoverable", i.e. with opening roof

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - view through, from diagonally in front

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - view-through drawing, from diagonally behind

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - Structure / Bodywork

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - Reinforcements

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - Dimensions and load volume

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Matra Simca Rancho (1977) - Intended use

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Summary

The supporting role was the fate of the Talbot-Matra Rancho: in the model of all teen movies from 1980 as well as in real life, the original SUV remained a marginal phenomenon. This article tells its story and shows the Rancho in modern and historical footage.

This article contains the following chapters

In the footsteps of the Range Rover
Leisure car
Components from the large series
Appearing more off-road than its
Journey into the past
Constantly evolving
Rarity with unexpected successor
Curriculum vitae

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The party takes place much later and without the Rancho. Matra, the French armaments manufacturer with a passion for unusual automotive ideas, thought it recognized the potential of the car as a leisure vehicle in the mid-1970s - long before people knew they would ever want one. Of course, every car was primarily a leisure vehicle from the very beginning - it just never looked like one until then. And space for family, dog and every conceivable hobby was not a given either, let alone a reasonably bold outdoor look. Matra boldly mixed all these ingredients and thus offered the first car of the SUV genre in 1977. Although nobody called it that at the time, of course.

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