This is the 1993 MTX Tatra V8 (003). In 1977, Cyril Svoboda equipped his Lancia Beta with a self developed NAREX rescue system, which led to a growing fleet including rebuilt Tatra 613s, approved as T623s. Eight served as safety cars at the first Formula 1 race at Hungaroring in 1986. Though praised by FISA as one of the top three safety teams in the world, Svoboda was disappointed the official safety car was still a Porsche 928. Hence, that year, he teamed up with his friend, racer and designer Václav Král to create a rescue car powered by air-cooled Tatra V8 capable of leading a Formula 1 race („Antiporsche“). In 1987, Svoboda secured finances and commissioned 2 cars by Metalex in Pilsen. In 1988, with national racing class in mind, Král completed Group C car drawings („Supertatra“) in 1:10 and 1:5 scale. In 1989 followed the full scale model, first presented in spring 1990. The 1st prototype (001) in red paint debuted at the 1991 Prague Motor Show with the 2nd (002) arriving in 1992. A Naples-born pizzeria owner living in Brno commissioned the third, which briefly wore large green Pizzeria Napolitana stickers. He requested a new dashboard designed by Král, folding mirrors, power steering, manual air conditioning, and improved ventilation using an Eberspaecher controller. This black MTX sat higher on adjustable dampers, had OZ-branded Futura wheels, and used a fuel-injected T623 engine making 225 kilowatts with a five speed gearbox. In 1997, this car set a Czech speed record at 208.37 kilometers per hour, and the car later appeared in Kanye West’s Runaway video.
How many made? 001 and 002: 1991, 003: 1993, 004: likely to be 1993, 005: project started in 2003. 5 total.
Engine: Air-Cooled Tatra 623 V8 multi-point fuel injection - five speed gearbox - 225 kW/302 HP at 6500 rpm, 365 Nm at 5200 rpm (T623, fuel injected)
Debut: Prague, Loretánské náměstí 1990 (mock-up), Prague Auto Show 1991 (001)
Top Speed: around 165mph
0-60mph: around 5.8 seconds
Photo Credit: @tatraheritage, z.s., Jan Hrubý, 2012
Research: @rarecarsonly
1993 MTX Tatra V8
04.09.2025
MTX