2008 Mastretta MXT-Coupe
Spice Up Your Life
It’s the legal export from Mexico which will leave you wired and ready for more
Across the southern boarder from the U.S.A is a land often known for being on the dark side of the moon; even the air there is poisonous and unless Jackie Chan is your bodyguard then you better not go wandering down dark alleys at night. True enough the natural beauty of South America is as extreme as the poverty and the colourful all-night street parties are unmatched anywhere else in the world. Famed for its lethal strains of coffee, chillies, cocaine and most recently supercars; they know just how to put us dawky, weak tea and biscuit Brits to shame!
We have train robbers, they have machete wielding drug barrons, we have a page in a newspaper baring boobs, they have twenty beaches full, we bring out a kit car, they bring out a super car. Just to rub it in a bit, they are bringing it to the British Motor show this July and with a price tag of £32,995 it will be putting more than a fair few of German noses out of joint and all.
The 240bhp coupe is designed and built in Mexico by car manufacturer Mastretta, it will be available to buy here from January 2009 but they will only be making 80 a year so if you’re serious about owning one then you need to get down to stand N10 at the ExCeL centre in London next week and get your name in their little black book.
Weighing in at just 900kg, this MXT model is a nimble little thing; it accelerates to 60mph in under 5 seconds and achieves the equivalent of 267bhp per tonne which will not only lick a Porsche Cayman S, it will eat it for breakfast in sheer power terms. Like the Audi R8 and BMW M5 it needs only to top 150mph as any more danger would spoil the party in hell.
Any doubts about what Mexican craftsmanship is like and you’ll surely be disproven at the show. We already know they don’t do anything by halves and the luxurious leather trim, well turned out dash and the presence of air-con is a good indicator of this. The rear wheel drive two-seater also benefits from a bonded aluminium, semi-monocoque chassis. The fibre glass construction and closed moulding techniques are clearly inspired by aircraft technology.
To ensure its authenticity in the sports sector, it has opted for double wishbone suspension at both the front and rear. The rack and pinion gives a tight 2.8 turns lock to lock and it gains its stopping power from 293mm ventilated brakes so the only thing steaming will be the smoke coming out of your ears. The styling of the Mastretta as you can see is as hot as it sounds and yes in this very confident shade of orange you’ll certainly spice up a grey afternoon in central London.
FOR: Couldn’t possibly pick fault at this stage
AGAINST: Hopefully, it’s perfect because we’re smitten.
VERDICT: Matretta doesn’t come in mild form, there’s fire breathing or nothing
SPEC:
Engine: 2.0-litre
POWER: 240bhp
0-60mph (sec): under 5 seconds
TOP SPEED: 150mph
TRANSMISSION: 6 speed Manual
WEIGHT: 900 kg
PRICE: £32,995
RIVALS: BMW M5, Audi R8, Porsche Cayman S