8. Matra Bagheera
Introduced in 1973, the Matra Bagheera disrupted sports-car conventions by seating three occupants in a single row under a two-door coupe body. Its fiberglass-reinforced polyester shell perched on a steel backbone chassis, covering a front-mounted 1.3-liter Simca engine producing roughly 84 horsepower. At around 900 kilograms, the Bagheera could reach 100 km/h in about 10.5 seconds—impressive for a three-across setup.
Its wedge-shaped profile, pop-up headlights, and wraparound rear glass evoked futuristic design. The unconventional “three-under-two” seating meant the center passenger perched awkwardly ahead of the transmission tunnel, squeezing space. Yet, its blend of affordability, avant-garde styling, and unusual ergonomics made it an icon of French eccentricity.