<< Prev Page 2 of 2 Mated to a Hewland five-speed gearbox, the Matra V12 was bolted to a modified version of the Tony Southgate designed DN5 that was also used by the team during the 1975 season. This was a thoroughly conventional design with rocker-actuated in-board front suspension and in-board rear brakes. The new DN7 was not identical to the Cosworth-engined DN5 it was based on as it featured larger fuel tanks to feed the thirsty French V12.
The Matra-engined DN7 was finally ready in August of the 1975 season, in time for the Austrian Grand Prix. Tasked to drive the car was Jean-Pierre Jarier, while team-mate Tom Pryce continued to use the DN5. During qualifying on the high-speed circuit, the power advantage of the Matra engine showed as Jarier placed 14th and Pryce 17th. The race ended early for the V12-engined Shadow due to injection issues. Ironically, Pryce finished 3rd; Shadow's best result of the year.
Shadow brought out the DN7 out again for the next round; the Italian Grand Prix. Run on the high-speed Monza circuit, it also suited the powerful Matra V12. Jarier qualified just ahead of his team-mate in 13th but sadly once again failed to finish the race due to a fuel-system issue. For the final round of the season, the team's home Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, both Shadow drivers were back in the DN5 to increase the odds for a good result. Sadly both Cosworth-engined cars retired.
The Matra-engined DN7 was not raced again as Matra decided to supply engines exclusively to the French Ligier team in 1976. In its two outings, the DN7 failed to impress but as the results in 1976 for Ligier proved that the V12 certainly had potential. The Shadow DN7 Matra certainly remains as one of only very few American racing cars powered by a French engine. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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Mated to a Hewland five-speed gearbox, the Matra V12 was bolted to a modified version of the Tony Southgate designed DN5 that was also used by the team during the 1975 season. This was a thoroughly conventional design with rocker-actuated in-board front suspension and in-board rear brakes. The new DN7 was not identical to the Cosworth-engined DN5 it was based on as it featured larger fuel tanks to feed the thirsty French V12.