 For a time, Matra was largely centered around its vehicle division, "Matra Automobiles".However, within a decade, Matra had been sold its road car division to American-owned car manufacturer Chrysler Europe, having shifted focus onto its other growing business activities.During the 1970s, Lagardère pursued an overall strategy of merging Matra with various other companies, or acquiring them outright, to build up a sizable group around the Matra brand.