MASTRETTA Mexico’s First Fully Designed and Built Sport Car

The most expensive component of producing an automovil is the development engineering. An entrepreneur in Mexico has managed to clear this R&D hurdle and he is on his way of materializing the Mexican developed technology into a real sports car assembly line.

Tecnoidea SA de CV or simply called "Mastretta" is a Mexican car maker and design studio established in Mexico City in 1987 by the Mexican industrial designer Daniel Mastretta.

Under his Company, he has developed a small number of car kits, but the creation of the Mastretta MXT has been his frst major product. It is considered to be the frst ever potential mass-production car completely designed and produced by Mexican engineers.

Daniel Mastretta told MexicoNOW: "We are starting with 35 employees and as our production speeds up we will have 50 workers towards the end of the year. We are starting with a production rate of one unit per week. The frst deliveries will be In May, and we already have a modest backlog of orders. If you order a Mastretta today, we can promise delivery by September."

He added: "Our business plan contemplates to reach a production volume of 400 vehicles per year by 2015. By then, we will be able to offer more models, like a convertible version."

The Mastretta MXT is all about performance. It features advanced engineering, lightweight materials and a powerful engine acting together to achieve the superb driving experience of the MXT. The Mastretta MXT is a powerful machine. It has been designed to deliver outstanding performance through mechanical excellence. This requires the use of state-of-the-art materials and components and a construction process that blends advanced technology with careful craftsmanship.

Tecnoidea SAPI de CV, is a Mexican design and engineering consulting firm with more than 20 years' experience in the transportation industry. The firm is based in the Mexico City area.

Daniel Mastretta said: "We developed all the tooling and engineering in-house. We do import the engine and other components such as the transmission, but at the end of the day, the Mastretta has close to 70% of Mexican cost integration."

As a driver's car, the most important development aim was to focus on optimizing acceleration, cornering and braking capabilities.

With an overall weight of just 930 kg and a turbo-charged Duratec 2.0 liter engine that produces 250 hp, the MXT accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 240 km/h. The Mastretta MXT is a high-performance two seat sports car, engineered to deliver outstanding performance through mechanical excellence. Every system, every component was crafted to make the driving experience an absolute thrill. The high-performance chassis can generate lateral acceleration of up to 1.1 G.
This makes exceptional cornering speeds possible, while the fadeless braking system, which consists of 300mm cross-drilled discs with 4 piston calipers front and rear, provides outstanding stopping power.

Designing a car is more than creating a beautiful shape.

The design team followed the traditional racing principles of functionality and lightness.

Even at frst sight, the striking design of the Mastretta MXT refects its high performance nature. The car exudes an unmistakable essence of form following function while speeding through a track or sitting silently still.

The seats are positioned close together and as low as the chassis allows, thus creating an ideal seating position for performance driving that allows the driver to enjoy optimal road feel.

But despite its remarkable performance, the MXT is not intended to be a hard-core track day special that maximizes speed but offers no practicality.

Therefore, the car is very well-suited for long-distance road driving. It is oriented towards spirited drivers who seek an exhilarating drive. Benefting from light weight, a low center of gravity and relatively long wheelbase, the chassis offers a fne balance between ride and handling. Despite its agility and power, it is easy to control even at the very limits of traction.

Carlos and Daniel Mastretta recently presented the production version of this high-performance sports car to the press. More than 600 car enthusiasts were there. The firm used the premiere to showcase details of production and marketing for national and international markets. The Mastretta MXT was unveiled as a vehicle ready for the street, a machine with a substantial engineering and design base and ready to compete in the demanding global market of niche automobiles.

The unveiling took place November 18, 2010, in Mexico City. As Daniel Mastretta explained during the press conference, "...creating a visually appealing car is the frst step and we think that our car meets every expectation of an emotional nature.
But even more importantly is what lies beneath the bodywork. This is where we can demonstrate that our team is capable of producing a car with exceptional performance characteristics. The MXT is an exciting blend of beauty and technology, power and lifestyle. Our future begins today."

Mastretta Cars generated a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm when the company lifted the curtains to reveal the Mastretta MXT for the frst time to the Mexican market in a really elegant way. There were spectacular demonstration videos of the Mastretta MXT, live runway shows, and three cars demonstrating the design and construction quality of Mastretta Cars. The Mastretta MXT is going to be produced at the Mastretta factory and will be available at the market by mid-2011, with an annual production of 150 units.

Around 70% (105 cars) will be exported to Europe and only 45 units will remain for national sales in Mexico. Exports to the U.S. are still not planned for because of the complicated regulations that country has for vehicles.

The prices will be around US$55,000 to US$60,000. In Mexico it will be estimated to cost between $600,000 and $700,000 Mexican Pesos. Sales will begin in early 2011 at Mexico and the United Kingdom.

After that other international destinations will follow. Carlos Mastretta pointed this out: "Today is an extraordinary day for us. We present to our clients and friends something that has been our desire for many years and what we primarily want to accomplish with a really outstanding product.

It is frst and foremost a Mexican product that flls us with pride because of its origin. But more than that we are happy because it makes the customers happy.

This is a car with a true sports car character. It comes with a guarantee that will make owners proud of its quality, performance and driving excitement. These are the values inherent in our brand."

Mastretta has had a checkered history with the United Kingdom. On July 22, 2008 the Mastretta MXT was presented at the British International Motor Show, in London. Thirty months later, the host of the BBC television show Top Gear, Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May made humorous and offensive remarks about the car and Mexico in general. 

The Ambassador of Mexico to the UK, Eduardo Medina Mora requested an apology. The BBC apologized to Mexico and the enterprise Mastretta obtained many benefts of the exposure the obtained from the critics and the controversy. Top Gear is a very popular TV show in many countries, including Mexico.