Santa Matilde
Encyclopedia
The Santa Matilde, or SM4.1, is a sports car
designed and produced in Brazil
by Cia. Industrial Santa Matilde between 1977 and 1997.
engine, the first prototype was revealed at the 1976 Salão do Automóvel de São Paulo as one of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the country at the time. It featured items like retractable bumpers, power window
s, hidden radio antenna, cassette player, retractable seat belt
s, leather
seats with fine adjustment and air conditioning
.
The project was run by engineer Humberto Pimentel Duarte and former pilot and race-car tuner Renato Peixoto. The body design came from Humberto's daughter Ana Lídia and was not based on any previous car, although a few details were inspired by many cars models.
body reinforced with polyester
. It is a 2+2 coupe, but the rear seats are completely useless and headroom is tight for drivers taller than 6 ft (1.8 m)
In 1982 two engines were available; a 4.1 straight 6 cylinder 171 hp (157 kW), or a 2.5 4 cylinder turbo, with 140 hp. The engines originally came from the Chevrolet Opala, featuring a specially designed exhaust manifold and a different carburetor
. The car has smoothly integrated direction and rear lights. The lower front air intakes are used for the air conditioning
and the internal ventilation.
The instrument panel resembles the contemporary Porsche models at the time - it had indicators for water temperature, oil pressure, speed, odometer
(full and partial), RPM
, fuel level and a clock. One interesting feature about the car, were the retractable bumpers made of a rubber compound with steel frames. Unlike most cars on sale in Brazil at the time, the Santa Matilde had both front and rear disc brakes.
One car was produced by demand in 1997. It has inestimable value for collectors.
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
designed and produced in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
by Cia. Industrial Santa Matilde between 1977 and 1997.
Conception
Equipped with tuned versions of the Chevrolet OpalaChevrolet Opala
The Chevrolet Opala was a mid-size car sold by General Motors do Brasil from 1969 to 1992. It was derived from the German Opel Rekord and Commodore, but used GM USA sourced engines, two four-cylinder engines: the Chevrolet 153 4-cylinder from Chevy II/Nova which later got a new crankshaft and...
engine, the first prototype was revealed at the 1976 Salão do Automóvel de São Paulo as one of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the country at the time. It featured items like retractable bumpers, power window
Power window
Power windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s, hidden radio antenna, cassette player, retractable seat belt
Seat belt
A seat belt or seatbelt, sometimes called a safety belt, is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop...
s, leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
seats with fine adjustment and air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
.
The project was run by engineer Humberto Pimentel Duarte and former pilot and race-car tuner Renato Peixoto. The body design came from Humberto's daughter Ana Lídia and was not based on any previous car, although a few details were inspired by many cars models.
Characteristics
The Santa Matilde has a fiberglassFiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
body reinforced with polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
. It is a 2+2 coupe, but the rear seats are completely useless and headroom is tight for drivers taller than 6 ft (1.8 m)
In 1982 two engines were available; a 4.1 straight 6 cylinder 171 hp (157 kW), or a 2.5 4 cylinder turbo, with 140 hp. The engines originally came from the Chevrolet Opala, featuring a specially designed exhaust manifold and a different carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
. The car has smoothly integrated direction and rear lights. The lower front air intakes are used for the air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
and the internal ventilation.
The instrument panel resembles the contemporary Porsche models at the time - it had indicators for water temperature, oil pressure, speed, odometer
Odometer
An odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
(full and partial), RPM
Tachometer
A tachometer is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common...
, fuel level and a clock. One interesting feature about the car, were the retractable bumpers made of a rubber compound with steel frames. Unlike most cars on sale in Brazil at the time, the Santa Matilde had both front and rear disc brakes.
Santa Matilde 78-79
Line-produced between 1978 and 1979, it had 171 hp (128 kW) and a top speed of 206 kilometre per hour. Based on the prototype, this version had some problems like overheating, noise and ventilationSanta Matilde 82
Externally, a new rear design and some cosmetic changes at the front, smoothing some lines. Internally, all problems were solved. This model was line-produced in 1982 with small changes in design.Santa Matilde 83-86
Line-produced between 1983 and 1986, this model was a sedan style with a top speed of over 180 kilometre per hour.Santa Matilde Cabriolet
Line-produced between 1984 and 1990, this was a convertible version.Santa Matilde 91-95
Line-produced between 1991 and 1995, this model had square front lights and was also produced by demand between 1991 and 1995.Santa Matilde 97
A lot of modifications were introduced in this model:- New independent differentialDifferential (mechanics)A differential is a device, usually, but not necessarily, employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways: in one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs—this is found in most automobiles—and in the other way, it...
from the Chevrolet OmegaChevrolet OmegaBased on the Opel Omega A, the Chevrolet Omega A debuted in Brazil in 1992 with a choice of two engines — a 2.0 L four-cylinder and 3.0 L six-cylinder . From 1995, the engines were upgraded to a 2.2 L four and a 4.1 L six respectively... - New rear suspension
- Many design changes
- Digital instrument panel
One car was produced by demand in 1997. It has inestimable value for collectors.