The Mastretta Cars Official Web Site

http://latino.foxnews.com/slideshow/...-car/#slide=10

 

Outside, the car is quite striking. The interior looks like it's out of a blinged out Lotus Europa though. Spartan, poorly designed, yet covered in expensive hides. It looks like they got the monitor on sale at Costco and made it fit. The seat bolsters appear to be formed out of plywood, no wait, the entire seat does. Two thumbs down on the interior.

 

And what's wrong with that?

 

FP, in my defense, I didn't mean it the way it sounded. But I now realize what it sounded like. Heck, Mexico must build 30% of the GM cars driven here in the states.

I was making reference to the hotly contested safety of big rig trucks of Mexican registry that are now being allowed over the border.

I see that this is to be sold in Europe and not here? Safety regulations?

 

No worries my friend. I have a sense of humor. I thought it was kinda funny.

 

Why not. We buy funky British cars here.


roadster with a stick

 

I don't dislike it... The only thing I would change is the rear exhaust tip... Needs one more, or the tip needs to be bigger/different shape.

The interior looks like a driver's machine... no frills to distract you but a flat-bottom steering wheel and a very business-oriented feel to it.

Now... I will only say this much... the quality is my concern.

 

In this regard, it should be as good as most Chevys.

Or VW bugs!

 

Color me spoiled from driving a Germany-built vehicle...

 

Does it come with any coke in the glove box? Just kidding of course.

 

No. It's inside the tires. Adds to unsprung weight, but what the heck. Right?

 

I've been following Mastretta for a while now. I love the genesis of the company. They've been around for quite some time. They started out building kit cars and doing design work for commercial buses before trying a full blown production vehicle. Their story sounds a lot like Lotus. Interesting that their design seems aimed in exactly the direction Colin Chapman would have wanted.

What's not to like? 2,000 lbs, a 2.0L turbo Duratech I4 sourced from GM, mid-engine layout. The Duratech is a solid engine that's been around for several years in cars like the Solstice, Sky, and Cobalt. It has plenty of HP and torque for a car of this weight. It sounds like they're using a GM sourced transaxle too. The power train should not be a concern. Also, Mastretta went outside for design support to the the US and UK for some of the car's systems where they didn't have in house expertise.

As for styling, it's a little busy for my taste but then, I don't really love the Exige styling either. I can live with either car's looks for the performance they offer.

My only concern would be the distribution and support network here in the U.S. That's gonna be a tough nut to crack for a small specialty manufacturer. But Mastretta seems to be making all the right moves. I hope they're successful.

 

No air bags to be seen. Nada one. And it contributes way too much to global warming, at least according to domestic EPA standards.

 

I might be over user friendly sensitive but why publish in US English and leave the numbers metric?

I agree with the comment "I don't dislike it."

Can we learn something from the Duratec 2L producing 250hp?

 

There was one on display at Woodward 2011. The saleman at the booth was also the Co. President.

 

US English? I see some English English there as well, tires is there (US) and aluminium (English) as well. English is still the universal language. Metric is the international system (SI) and although the US still uses its imperial based system, odd that really, metric is a world wide system and it makes sense to market it in the most common system of measurement.

 

Duratec is a Ford engine. It's used in Mazda, Volvo, Jaguar, Aston Martin and some Lotus replicas.

As for Mexican car building, they have more marques built on their soil than we do. BMW builds the X3 in Toluca, for example. Agree that they don't do a lot of sports cars but Dinalpin made the Alpine sport rally car there under license.

As for the body, it looks like an Elise and Eclipse mated

Its closest competitors would be Zolfe (British track day car) and DIY maker Murtaya.which uses a Subaru Impreza donor body.

As for me, I'll wait for a Perana lol.

 

Oops, yer right. I got Duratec and Ecotec mixed up.