The Matra P 31 was a five-seat experimental research car built by the French manufacturer Matra Automobile, a firm better known for its sports and racing cars but also active in fundamental research and development as part of an industrial group. The vehicle was created in 1981 as an energy-saving research prototype. It was not shown to a wider audience until spring 1989, when it was presented to mark the 25th anniversary of Matra Automobile, having in the meantime been tested on proving tracks.
The P 31 used an extremely aerodynamic single-volume, egg-shaped body with two doors and seating for five. Matra claimed a drag coefficient of just 0.20. It was powered by a Peugeot engine that had been optimized by Matra, and with a curb weight of 520 kg it achieved a recorded fuel consumption of 3 liters per 100 km at a constant 90 km/h.
Beyond its aerodynamic efficiency, the P 31 served as a test bed for new materials, drawing on Matra's established expertise in plastics processing. Even the suspension components of the car were made from composite material. The bodywork itself was built using plastics as part of its streamlined single-volume design.
