07/25/2008, 12:27 PM

Coupe

Mexico’s Lotus Elise: Mastretta MXT unveiled at London show

Although our neighbors to the south produce many of the world’s vehicles, Mexico has never actually designed and manufactured its own vehicle. However, that will soon change as Mexico’s Mastretta has unveiled the MXT at the London Motor Show.

Built on a rear-wheel drive platform, the Mastretta is powered by a Ford-sourced 2.0L four-cylinder. Thanks to a turbocharger, the MXT’s powerplant produces a healthy 240 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque.

Thanks to extensive use of aluminum and other light-weight materials, the MXT tips the scales at just under 2,000 pounds. The MXT’s combination light weight and turbocharged power is said to result in a 0-60 time in the four second range, with a top speed of 150 mph.

The MXT will hit the UK market next year with a price tag of £32,999, but supplies will be extremely limited. The MXT’s initial production run is pegged at just 80 units.

 
 

07/25, 12:32 PM

posted by:

jumpoffit

is there room for my lawnmower?

07/25, 12:37 PM

posted by:

RaineMan

What an interesting car. Can I bring one across the border illegally?

07/25, 12:46 PM

posted by:

Fromes

mount a lawnmower blade under one of those bad bays and jose will have my lawn done in mere minutes!

07/25, 12:47 PM

posted by:

t-ak-box

Interesting design.

07/25, 1:13 PM

posted by:

brassmonkey

No way they did this by themselves. It is either a rip of the Dodge Demon, or a Mitsubishi Eclipse with an aero kit that fits well. It’ll never sell in Mehico, anyway. You can’t fit seven people in the front seat.

07/25, 1:14 PM

posted by:

shaver

From way out in left field.

07/25, 1:20 PM

posted by:

RotaxKart

Are these Lotus people idiots? Mexicans love chrome! Where the hell is the chrome! They will fit 7 people in there. I dont know how they do it but they will find a way.

07/25, 1:25 PM

posted by:

xyunya

Interestingly enough the car is aimed at British market, not US. I reckon to make it street legal the weight has to be gained and engine will be castrated of power.

07/25, 2:38 PM

posted by:

Mr. Piston

I heard the exhaust is going to smell like re-fried beans.

07/25, 2:47 PM

posted by:

RaineMan

that’s a lovely thought… I mean it is already nacho-cheese in colour.

07/25, 3:01 PM

posted by:

MugenSentraKen

=====>>the side vents are painted taco-shells….

07/25, 3:33 PM

posted by:

FuserG

Hello my American McDonalds eater´s friends, for your information here in México we have the brains to make this and other better cars (Do you know that we created the color TV, yes the little window that you use to see the Baywatch), but why to lose our time doing that, better we build your big and bad designed Ford F150, Chevy Cheyenne(where did you get that name, from an ancient local Indian????), or the really ugly Dodge Durango ( did you know that Durango is a Mexican state??? Of course you don´t know this, you just know how to buy our oil and using it to cook your delicious McDonald´s hamburgers). It is really great to create cars that are only sold in your country, your really descents cars are made in Europe, do you want an euro-focus? Please come to México we have one of those for you. By the way, do you know to speak Spanish??? I don´t think so, but guess what I can speak English, just in case I found an English guy to talk about real cars, like a Lotus or an Aston Martin. Do you think TACOBELL sells real tacos? Drink tequila, because the bourbon is just a whisky´s copy.

07/25, 3:57 PM

posted by:

xyunya

FuserG, regarding color TV. It was created in US just about the same time as black and white (in RCI labs, Princeton NJ). My apologies for taco jokes of my compatriots, but it was not meant to hurt your feelings.
The cars made in Mexico are primarily in foreign factories, just like majority of our cars are made in Honda/Toyota factories and Nissan comes from south of the border. I apologize also for ugly Durango named after Mexican state, we should called nicer looking truck Durango. I personally don’t speak good Spanish (or English for that matter), but lots of folks on this site do (surprise!). Thank you enlightenment on authenticity of Taco Bell; I wondered why it give me runs, now I know: tacos not genuine! It is nice to talk to you about Lotus and Aston; some of us actually drove/drive those. FYI, Bourbon is actually corn whiskey made in state of Kentucky. I prefer it over Tequila, no insult intended.
Now, where is sonofbitch who failed to come on time and cut my lawn!

07/25, 4:13 PM

posted by:

FuserG

XYUNYA APOLOGIZE ACCEPTED, AND THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

07/25, 4:21 PM

posted by:

A4

well this sure is a random car

07/25, 4:34 PM

posted by:

xyunya

Nah, it’s Lotus clone. Pics from the side are definitely close to Elise. And it is understandable: there is only one solution to aerodynamic shape.

FuserG, as long as it all in good spirit and humor.

07/25, 4:41 PM

posted by:

zeeck

I’m sad fuser didn’t say anything about the cutting the lawn remark :(

07/25, 4:42 PM

posted by:

zeeck

also, i wonder how well-made these one-off cars will be, there seem to be more coming from all sorts of places nowadays

07/25, 5:08 PM

posted by:

xyunya

a) it was a joke!
b) how well made specialty car needs to be? they are not counting for US market for a reason.

07/25, 5:40 PM

posted by:

jumpoffit

i can speak spanish- well, more tex mex since i’m near the almighty river :)
mcdonald’ s es grande, Jose será por más adelante segar mi hierba y construirme una nueva cerca, i’ m i no racial apenas tiene gusto a da detrás a mi gente y la tiene alcanzar una meta, y porqué can’ ¿t bebemos el agua en México?

07/25, 5:48 PM

posted by:

RotaxKart

FuserG: You would be an angry Mexican if a bunch of white trash white pride idiots invaded your country and lived like the white trash they are. It would be bad culture shock for you too. Why cant everyone just be rad and like cars?

07/25, 5:51 PM

posted by:

RotaxKart

Oh and send up some of your hot latinas that you have down there please. Everytime I go to Mexico I see a bunch of super hotties and wonder why the ones in the U.S. are so ugly and fat. Maybe its the McDonalds?

07/25, 6:36 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

These comments about México are hilarious, but the truth is, they are only applicable to the border towns. People in México city would be like, “WTF? Lawnmowers? Chrome? Seven people in the front seat? We only do that in the back seat!”

Actually, FuserG, you’re right about a lot of things. I think it’s so funny when people stereotype others from what they see on TV. Most people have no clue. I, personally, try to rely on my own personal experience, and when I can’t gain my own, I draw on others and take their comments with a grain of salt. Movies are not reality, and they can sting you both ways. A lot of what the world thinks about us is what they see in movies, so basically we’re in deep doodoo.

I’m one of the few in this country that was born and raised here, and yet I taught myself Spanish and I am teaching my kids Spanish as well. Luckily, I married one of those “latina super hotties” from México, and she and her family help me keep my Spanish alive. Taco Bell isn’t real Mexican food, but it’s still tasty. My mother-in-law makes the best Mexican food ever, and I’m trying to encourage her to open a restaurant.

But I can’t stand McDonald’s. I only like their ice cream (which has fewer calories than anything else on the menu). In ‘n’ Out Burger is much better. Y Jumpoffit, la respuesta de tu pregunta es porque la agua te da un dolor de estomago bien fuerte como nada.

My wife is heading there in a bit, so I’m going to try to talk her into bringing one of these cars back. She may have to smuggle it under our minivan, though. Oh, and a Euro Focus and a Smart ForTwo.

07/25, 6:37 PM

posted by:

beatusmongous

And a Lupo.

07/25, 7:33 PM

posted by:

brassmonkey

How could he have invented the color tv? They don’t even have electricity. In fact, when the dude that invented it, Mehico rejected it. So he got it patented in the US.

07/25, 8:08 PM

posted by:

Need4SSpeed

I think it’s cool…. Offer that at the same price here in the U.S and it would sell… Heck I could afford one of those…

07/25, 8:28 PM

posted by:

DialM4Speed

Comes with free taco coupons in the glow box lol.

07/26, 12:30 AM

posted by:

cocksterS

Holy panel gap batman!
.
Also, £32,999 seems like a lot to risk on an un-established niche vehicle, though I’m no expert on the UK market. Still, I won’t criticize too much, because the addition of a nimble, lighweight sports car to the world can never be a bad thing. I suppose they’re on the right track.
.
(I’m all for jokes and good natured humor and am no fan of the muzzle of “political correctness,” but we should try to keep the malicious and blantantly racist comments to a minimum. I don’t want to see the leftlane boards become like those of youtube, with petty nationalistic squabbles taking place every other line. Let’s keep it to the cars people!)

07/26, 12:46 AM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

Funny how the americans are making fun of the mexicans. This from a nation of fat, obese, stupid losers getting beheaded daily in iraq while their economy circles the drain.

What exactly is there to be proud of americans? The ugly blondes littering Las Vegas? OR maybe it’s the legions of fat fratboys wearing shorts and baseball hats with golf shirts and goatees. This is the future of america?! LOL! No wonder the country is heading for the ****ter. Meanwhile, I hear mexico is doing just fine. Hot women in mexico city btw.

07/26, 2:15 AM

posted by:

cocksterS

Thanks for that DeansterTJ. You really showed them all. Seriously, can we get back to the regularly scheduled program?

07/26, 8:37 AM

posted by:

Need4SSpeed

Yeah, I’m a fat 160lbs 6 foot American…. Haha I don’t take any offense to that…

DeansterTJ, how was Greece? My girlfriend is Greek… “Once you have a Greek, you’ll want one 7 days a week…”

The fact that this car is from Mexico doesn’t really factor into my opinion of its reputation, just like a domestice car, (well some…) doesn’t either…

Like I said, if it’s affordable, and on the market why wouldn’t a neat little car like this sell? IF they eventually were to offer this car in the U.S Market… Heck I could see myself buying one of these and using it as a weekend, track car…

07/26, 1:38 PM

posted by:

RotaxKart

Hey deansterTJ are you from Tijuana?

07/26, 5:45 PM

posted by:

elviososa

It may crash like Chinese made….!

07/26, 6:33 PM

posted by:

MugenSentraKen

=====>>i’m like Need4SSpeed, I’m muscular, lean 126lbs 5′3″ American….Haha I don’t take any offense to that…

07/26, 6:34 PM

posted by:

MugenSentraKen

====>>but I was born in Okanowa Japan…

07/27, 10:56 AM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

Actually yes, I’m Greek from Tijuana but I live in Montreal. Make enough sense? LOL!!

I enjoy playing whatever side of the fence I feel like that day. One day Americans are obese morons, the next I argue it’s the land of opportunity. This is how I warp everything to suit my argument. I should have been a lawyer…

07/27, 3:05 PM

posted by:

RotaxKart

Why Tijuana? Why not go down a little farther? Ive been through TJ a lot and never saw a decent place where someone can live. I was thinking about moving to Mexico for a bit maybe Acapulco?

07/27, 10:51 PM

posted by:

Rafa LL

Comment 29 by DeansterTJ:
Hell true, Why are Americans [And BTW why Americans? Everybody in this continent is American] so proud of their country if it is the one that always mess up everything? Really, there’s no much time before the “Great U.S.” become nothing. Just think what I’m saying next here: Every other country that is not poor or not a formally big one sees USA like Ignorants that only think in themselves, and no kidding, you have earned that rep.
And talking about cars, that can easily be the start of something bigger, they are just no gonna stop there.

-Por cierto, como Dominicano hablo perfectamente español y la verdad no entendí muy bien qué quisieron decir en los comments 20 y 23.

07/27, 11:45 PM

posted by:

DeansterTJ

^ As a US sympathizer, I go to great lengths to defend America against the onslaught of stupid fingerpointing and bashing everyone else in the world seems to enjoy doing 24/7. However, it makes things difficult when said Americans start making comments that live up to their reputation. Then I’m left with my balls flapping in the breeze, looking like an idiot.

Try to realize that you’re perceived as retards around the world, not a world-class nation - the more sophisticated you act, the less likely you’ll leave the impression that you’re an illiterate ozark monkey. Meanwhile, the country is in the ****ter and everyone on the planet knows this and is laughing about it. The general sentiment is that the US has seen its day and is pretty much headed for irreversible oblivion. So go easy on your comments. Fags

07/28, 12:21 AM

posted by:

The Stig

Looks wonderful from the front, much less so from other angles, especially the rear, further marred by side body elements which appear as stick-ons. Panel gaps indicate quality issues but I’ll cut them slack because this is not a production example. In its defense, those short overhangs are delicious.

07/28, 5:44 AM

posted by:

nkay

I see a lot of GTB Fiorano happening at the tail, and that window/door relationship looks a little too R8 towards the rear.

07/28, 9:00 AM

posted by:

JohnnyBlazE

Hmm… could be good for Mexico!

07/28, 12:11 PM

posted by:

jumpoffit

isn’t Salma Hayek from mexico? mmmmmmmmmExicoooooooo, sorry couldn’t help it, car looks good, i like to make fun of everything, take it with a grain of salt, helps the day go by quicker………. oh and NALGAS, is your spanish word of the day :)

 
 
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