Revised Mastretta MXT sports car for 2015 launch

A reworked Mastretta MXT sports car will be revealed later this year, with plans to launch the Mexican brand in Europe from 2015 set to follow.

The Mastretta MXT was originally mooted for European launch last year. But plans were put on hold while the car was prepared for low-volume type approval and a new power unit was lined up to replace the Ford 2.0-litre Duratec initially used with cars sold in Mexico.

“The company needs to grow one step at a time, and the current focus is on the home and neighbouring markets,” said Steve Hindle, who is overseeing Mastretta’s European launch. “We also need to make sure the car 
has a niche to compete in when it launches.”

The current-spec MXT is on sale in South America, with production mooted at about 50 cars a year. 

As well as a new powertrain - Ford’s 2.0-litre EcoBoost unit, as found in the Focus ST - and updated front-end styling, the revised Mastretta is expected to be substantially lighter than the current car, weighing less than 1000kg.

“Our philosophy is that weight and chassis architecture defines performance,” said Hindle. “The power-to-weight ratio and the raw response from the chassis are what will make this car stand out.”

The revised car will undergo European type approval ahead of a mooted 2015 on-sale date.

Mastretta is believed to have investigated motorsport programmes as a way to promote its new car. “We have to develop local programmes for individual markets,” said Hindle. “A one-make series makes perfect sense at home in Mexico, but for the UK, for example, there’s already an abundance of GT4 product, 
so we’re looking at other 
ways of showcasing what 
the car can do.”