21st January, 2009

Celebrating its centenary in 2009, the Morgan Motor Company Limited is planning an eventful year with new models and celebratory events to mark this special year in the history of the iconic English marque.

Who would have guessed in 1909, or indeed even 50-years ago, that Morgan would be the oldest and largest British owned car company in 2009.

Sadly, so many famous British marques have either disappeared, or are now in foreign ownership. Meanwhile, Morgan proudly soldiers on, still as a family owned business.

Never concerned with chasing volume, or following fashion trends, the Morgan philosophy of not building a car unless it has an order has stood the company in good stead over the decades.

New for Australia in 2009:

Only recently available in Australia, the Morgan Aero 8 evolves into a Series 4 version for the 2009 model year and now includes a number of technical upgrades over the 2007 Series 3 version.

Whilst the striking design remains largely unchanged, the main technical changes are the fitment of a 4.8 litre BMW V8 engine and the availability for the first time ever on a Morgan, of automatic transmission as an option.

In contrast to the much loved “traditional” Morgan Classic models, first designed in 1935, the Aero 8 is a modern design, featuring an all aluminium chassis and body. Most of the modern comfort and convenience features expected by buyers of luxury sports cars in the over $200,000 market are fitted as standard.

Whilst still being a rare and exotic car, its many practical features also mean that it can be used as a “daily-driver”.

A brief summary of the changes from the Series 3 cars is as follows:

• BMW 4.8 litre V8 engine replacing the previous BMW 4.4 litre engine
• More power, 270 kW versus 245 kW
• More torque, 490 Nm versus 450 Nm
• New heating and air-conditioning system with tunnel mounted air-outlets
• Repositioned handbrake
• Larger front air intake
• New upper level heat outlets on the top of the front guards
• Larger boot due to a relocated fuel tank

Other standard features retained from the Series 3 model include:

• All aluminium race bred light weight chassis
• All aluminium body (except boot lid in carbon fibre)
• Cantilever front suspension with inboard spring damper units
• 6-pot AP Racing 348 mm ventilated disc brakes at the front
• Patented double wishbone independent rear suspension
• 2-pot 332 mm ventilated rear disc brakes with separate calipers for the hand brake
• Bosch ABS anti-lock brake system
• 18 x 8.5J forged alloy wheels, fitted with Avon ZZ3 tyres
• Tyre pressure and temperature monitoring
• Cruise control
• Remote central locking
• Remote boot release
• Electrically operated windows
• Electrically heated windscreen
• Power steering with adjustable steering column
• Drag torque control (DTC)
• Electronic brake distribution (EBD)
• Bespoke leather interior
• Fully lined soft top
• Headlight wash system
• Gas discharge headlights with wash facility
• Driver and passenger airbags
• Radio and CD

Fast and Frugal:

Due to its light weight, yet very strong race tested aluminium structure, the Aero 8 weighs only 1,145 kg. This makes it amongst the lightest V8 production platforms in the world.

This light weight results in its scintillating “super car” performance (zero to 100 km/h in less than 4.5 seconds). Yet due to the light weight, emissions (at 260 grammes per kilometre) and fuel consumption (at 10.8 litres/100 km) are low for cars of this performance ability.

Bespoke specification:

Each Aero 8 is a bespoke vehicle, built exactly to customer requirements.

Various optional specifications, including a removable hard top, may be selected to personalise the vehicle.

Whilst there are 19 “standard” Morgan colours from which to choose, the Morgan factory will also paint a car in any automotive colour for a mere $2,200 on-cost. Two-tone paint colour schemes can also be accommodated at extra cost.

Once the exterior colour is selected, the next exciting part in the order procedure is to select the trim from a large range of Muirhead or Yarwood leather samples.

Customers may also specify matching or contrasting piping and stitching for the leather interior. Likewise “quilted” or 'normal' style trim.

There is also a choice of wool carpet colours, again with the option of matching or contrasting carpet edges.

Being a Morgan, four versions of the interior wood trim are available for the choosing.

To add further choice, the standard spun aluminium fascia may optionally be changed for a fascia with a Graphite appearance.

The same holds true for the wheels, where the darker Graphite finish may optionally replace the standard aluminium look.

Lastly, the fully trimmed double layer Mohair soft top is available in a selection of colours.

The result of all these choices is that no two Aeros are exactly alike and each reflects its owner’s discernment and taste.

The Morgan Aero 8 is now available for order at a recommended retail price (RRP) of $255,000 in manual format and for $264,000 for the automatic transmission version.

Classic Morgans

When Australian supply ceased in 2007, the Ford powered Classic Model range comprised of the following models:

• Morgan Roadster 3.0 V6 $145,000
• Morgan Plus 4 2.0 I4 $117,000
• Morgan 4/4 1.8 I4 $99,000

For the 2010 model year when supply of Classic models will resume, indications are that the range will comprise of the following models:

• Morgan Roadster
• Morgan Plus 4
• Morgan 4/4 Sport

Pricing is not yet known due to numerous reasons, not least being the fact that standard specifications are not yet finalised and the traditional factors of currency and taxes. Although, in principle, the 2007 price positioning is the target price range.

Morgan 4-seaters:

There is interest in Australia for the unique Morgan 4-seaters, currently available in Europe in Plus 4 and Roadster versions.

Due to ADR requirements, Morgan 4-seaters have not been able to be sold in Australia as new cars for about two decades.

However, indications are that production may resume in 2011 for this rare and special variant of the Classic Morgan.

The Morgan LIFECar:

This prototype zero emissions fuel cell vehicle shows the design flair of the Morgan Motor Company and its intention to be at the forefront of the evolution of the motorcar, whilst respecting its glorious past.

In summary:

Morgan Cars Australia, based in Melbourne, is presently taking orders for the supply of Morgan Aero 8 models.

The new "Classic" models should enter production in late 2010 and a waiting list has been established (in the traditional manner).

With the Morgan Motor Company celebrating its Centenary in 2009, a series of events to commemorate this milestone is planned all through 2009.

These celebrations reach their high point with a series of special events in England during the late July and into early August 2009. The local Morgan importer expects that a contingent of Australian registered Morgans will be there at the time to share in this special moment for the Morgan marque.

Many an enthusiast would like to see the Morgan traditions and the Morgan sports cars continue to add 'colour' to the automotive scene. They claim that in a Morgan, the journey is always more important than the destination! 'Morganeering' is, as they say, all about driving!