Ferrari Dino inspires the Chevrolet Matiz September 7, 2009
Posted by richard in : Minutiae of cars , trackbackCHEVROLET’S Matiz is, I find, a bit of a charmer in the handling stakes, and to now I’ve never really known why.
After all, it’s soft. It’s tall. It has a narrow wheelbase, so it topple-rolls into corners, via commands from alarmingly lifeless steering. There’s bump-thump, there’s bump steer, aggressive inputs have you fearing for roll-over… no, Peugeot 107 it is not. Yet, on an event a few years ago, I fell in love with it during, of all things, a back-road thrash.
Why was I so charmed by the 0.8-litre buzzwagon? Well, I think I now. It’s all in the length of the wheelbase.
• Chevrolet Matiz: 2345mm
• Ferrari Dino: 2340mm
Spookily uncanny.
Before you think I’m yet again off my trolley, let me explain. Some dynamicists recon there’s an ideal length of wheelbase in cars, for optimum purity and handling niceness.
That’s why the Dino has the overhangs it has – could’ve been longer, but the chaps who were laying it out wanted that magical 92-inch distance. They knew.
Chevrolet has stumbled across this with the Matiz. Which could well be, despite its obvious flaws, there’s a deep-down purity, balance and ‘rightness’ about it, that I maybe am now just feeling in the one I’ve got out on test at the moment.
This car is honest, biddable, totally trustworthy and plain thrashable – despite the overwhelming centre-of-gravity issues, I’m still barreling it into B-roads with utter gay abandon, like there’s no tomorrow. It just feels ‘right’.
There you go, then. Chevrolet Matiz is one of the closest things to an original Ferrari Dino you can buy.
How Chevrolet today became cool
Vauxhall gives new Astra suspension a twist
Comments»
As a passionate fan of the Dino, I think you’ve made me want to give the Matiz another look!
It’s surprisingly good fun, Massimo! Dated, but still great for hooning round. Nothing quite like doorhandling a 0.8-litre Matiz – safe in the knowledge it’s well within legality…