 During 2001, production of the Renault Avantime, which was co-designed and built by Matra Automobiles, commenced; unfortunately, this vehicle only ever achieved low sales volumes and was widely regarded as a failure.By the early 2000s, Matra was reportedly keen to end its involvement with the automotive industry.Following the discontinuation of the Avantime, on 27 February 2003, Matra Automobiles announced its intention to close its Romorantin vehicle factory just one month later.