Posts tagged Morgan sports car
2011 Morgan Plus 4 SuperSports
Feb 3rd
Morgan Motor Company have announced the 2011 Morgan +4 SuperSports. The company have this to say:
“At the 1950 Earl’s Court Motor Show Morgan introduced the 2088cc Plus 4 car to the world. This highly capable machine became the platform for annual innovative performance upgrades within the company. The perfect balance between engine size and weight was the catalyst for the birth of the Plus 4 Super Sports race ready car. This car introduced the infamous low-line aluminium body and a highly tuned mechanical specification taking Morgan to victory in their class at the 1962 Le Mans 24 hour race. This ground breaking success encouraged Peter Morgan to introduce many permanent additions to the Plus 4 which has continued to evolve to this day.
To celebrate this on the sixth decade of the Plus 4, Morgan Motor Company is proudly reintroducing the limited edition Plus 4 Super Sports.
Like it’s sixty year old predecessor, the 2011 Plus 4 Super Sports features a carefully considered specification including an array of performance upgrades, track inspired accessories and fashionable sixties themed aesthetics. This truly versatile car contains all the reliability of the modern Morgan but with a large injection of legendary 60s racing spirit.”
The key aspects of the new +4 SuperSports are 200bhp 2.0 variable cam engine, upgraded throttle bodies, performance exhaust, uprated sports suspension, 3.73 limited slip differential and 3-turn steering rack. The list price of the new 2011 Morgan Plus 4 SuperSport is £49,995 inclusive of VAT. The full brochure can be found on Talk Morgan – MMC and dealers are now accepting orders for this Morgan sports car.
Morgan EvaGT Shown at Pebble Beach
Aug 15th
2012 Morgan EvaGT
The Morgan Eva GT had it’s world premier today at Pebble Beach Concours. This exciting new 2+2 fixed head coupe from Morgan Motor Company follows in the success of the limited production Morgan AeroMax.
MMC issued a press release along with launch drawings of the latest Morgan to grace the automotive stage. Here is what the company say about the Eva GT: -
“Morgan EvaGT (specification subject to change)
The goal is to manufacture a practical car that could be used everyday and answer all a family’s transport needs. Although it has two large doors the car can seat four adults and has a large boot (reference the current Morgan Aero SuperSport, but it is considerably deeper on the EvaGT with a full hatch style entry). As all Morgans the car will be fun to drive with sensitive hydraulic power steering and excellent balance. The mass is evenly distributed within the axles and the car has short overhangs.
Specification
Weight 1250 kgs
Rear wheel drive
BMW Twin Turbo straight six.
306 Bhp 400 nm torque
Choice of 6 speed manual or automatic gearbox.
ABS Brakes
Electronic Stability Control
Euro 6 and US EPA (auto only) approved
200 gms Co2/km
40 mpg 7.06 litres/100 kms
Predicted 0-60 (100km/h) 4.5 secs
Predicted V/max 170mph/273 km/h
The powertrain of the EvaGT has been developed over 3 years using BMW facilities for high speed testing, hot weather sign off and emission testing.
Chassis
Designed on Catia
A development of the Aero SuperSports platform currently used in production and for the Morgan Aero SuperSports GT3 race cars
Compliant with US and European Safety standards
Continental Smart Airbag System
Bodywork
Designed in Alias
Aerodynamically efficient
Superplastically formed panels made from lightweight alloys. The large outer panels are adhesively bonded to inner panels that are predrilled for interior features.
Xenon lights
Wireless canbus system for reliability
Morgan EvaGT at Pebble Beach 2010
EPDM rubber seals with varying shore hardness for a quiet seal to suit the aperture
Minimal shutlines
Electronic window drop
GPS system with Apple connectivity
The Morgan Motor Company is taking orders with a request for a deposit of £5000 to ensure an early allocated build slot. The first 100 cars are planned for production to begin in mid 2012.”
We hope you enjoy these photos from the Pebble Beach launch; for more images of the Morgan EvaGT click here.
Morgan EvaGT 2+2 Sports Coupe
Jun 11th
The Morgan Motor Company have sent Talk Morgan and the Morgan Car News a preview of their upcoming press release for the Morgan EvaGT, previously only refereed to as the Morgan 2+2 concept. Here is the information provided by MMC: -
At a time of global conservation with a drive towards improved fuel economy the Morgan Motor Company introduces a new concept for a sporting family, the Morgan EvaGT. The four seater Coupe takes its inspiration from the British sports saloons of the early 1950’s. Among these were the Bristol 400 series and the Frazer Nash BMW 328. After the Second World War rationing forced designers to conserve and make the most of the materials at their disposal. However the pressure cooker of war had also led to an abundance of innovative engineering ideas. Steel was scarce so lightweight aluminium was used for bodywork. Smooth “in-line” straight six cylinder engines were fitted to give long distance comfort and reliability. Because the engineers had often worked on aircraft development during the war aerodynamics contributed to high but economical cruising speeds.
The Morgan Motor Company is the last survivor of these British sports car manufacturers. Of course the company is lucky enough to have 100 years of continuous success behind it and like Bristol and Frazer Nash; Morgan has a history of successful collaborations with German suppliers BMW, Siemens and Bosch. But Morgan also works with a number of young engineering companies in the United Kingdom and with world class British university research departments.
The new challenge is to make cars that are more efficient than any we have seen so far. The Morgan Motor Company is in a good position to respond to this challenge because the company is small and flexible with a proven track record of fast development cycles. It currently manufactures one of the greenest sports cars in the world, the Morgan Four Four Sport. Morgan achieves this result with the use of the new Ford 1.6 Sigma engine coupled with a light chassis. Morgan currently has a young well qualified technical team working towards a potential 5 engineering PHD’s, who will make full use of research departments at the University of Oxford, Cranfield and Birmingham City to tap into a technical knowledge network to make more efficient cars. This team is helping to develop a high torque electric motor twice as powerful as others of the same weight and size and a powerful lithium phosphate battery with a higher charge density to achieve the most efficient performance for weight so far.
The dynamic team at Morgan has made a commitment from 2010 that they will bring out a new model every two years. The legendary sports car manufacturer will target new niches…..electric sports cars, a fun weekend vehicle and the first of the new cars will be the Morgan EvaGT, a four seater Coupe aimed at young families, with a bit of drama or automotive theatre as we like to call it. This is a revolution for a car company famous for making the same car for 50 years!
The Morgan EvaGT
Brief provisional specification
Chassis:
The Morgan EvaGT makes full use of clever technologies that the Morgan Motor Company has developed to manufacture a lightweight car. Morgan was one of the first car companies to see the advantage of a bonded aluminium chassis to give rigidity but also to save weight. The EvaGT uses a further developed version of the bonded aluminium chassis of the Morgan Aero SuperSports, a chassis that successfully competes in International GT3 Sports Car Racing. Compliant with European and US safety approvals.
Bodywork:
Morgan was the first car company in 1995 to see the benefit of superformed aluminium, an aircraft technology, to manufacture smooth accurate body parts. Morgan Design have sculpted a new shape for the Morgan EvaGT that focuses on natural materials and understands their unique technical properties. Using computer technology in design and in manufacture to ensure accuracy, the parts are then hand finished to make sure they feel as good as they look. A perfect “A” class surface, minimal shut lines, hidden wipers, flush door handles and sharp creases deflect air over the surface of the car. The new Morgan EvaGT represents a philosophy of lightweight luxury that embraces authenticity, sustainability and innovation achieving its final result through the process of skilled craftsmanship.
Technical Specification (subject to change):
BMW 3 litre straight six mono twin turbo with direct petrol injection 306bhp and 400nm torque
- Euro 5 and 6 compliant at 200 gms Co2/km, US FMVSS, CARB and EPA approved.
- 40 mpg / 7.06 litres/100kms
- 6 speed sport automatic or 6 speed manual gearbox.
- Rear wheel drive with fully independent intelligent suspension
- Aluminium body panels with a laminated internal safety structure.
- Predicted weight of 2755 lbs/1250 kg
- Predicted 0-60 mph 4.5 seconds/ 0-100km/h 4.5 seconds
- Predicted top speed 170mph / 273 km/h
Launch
The first public view of the Morgan EvaGT will be at the 60th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Carmel, California, USA on the 15th August 2010.
The Morgan Motor Company will be taking orders worldwide with a request for a deposit of £5000 from prospective clients for an allocated build slot. The first 100 cars of a limited run are planned to begin production mid 2012 and the “on-road” price will be competitive for a car of this class.
Morgan Aeromax Review & Video
May 27th
We thought it was about time we posted some of the best videos produced about Morgan cars. This one is possibly the best video review of the limited production run (100 made for customers) Morgan Aeromax sports car. This video, and the accompanying article, was produced by Drivers Republic, with the assistance of Talk Morgan, in May of 2008. So, without further ado, for your viewing pleasure…
Time Machine: One Family’s 40 Year Morgan Odyssey
Apr 13th
Is a love affair with cars an innate quality, something preordained by our inherited DNA, or a result of parental, and wider family, nurture? Furthermore, can an inanimate object become part of the family or is it simply an heirloom, a reference to the tastes and proclivities of former generations? I doubt these are questions that the average ‘petrol-head car lover’ ask themselves very often; however, if we found ourselves in the same position as Dan Stewart, perhaps we would be motivated to do so.
In his short story Time Machine: One Family’s 40 Year Morgan Odyssey, Dan tackles the retelling of his family’s 40-years of Morgan sports car ownership. Blame it on the sentimental side of me but by the end of the story, I could not help but imbue the Sunset Yellow Plus 8 with a personality all its own. Dan has promised to document his upcoming road trip, through the Carolina mountains, in the Morgan; therefore, I can look forward to hearing further adventures of this bright member of the Stewart family. Until then, I hope you enjoy Dan’s story as much as I did…
Morgan Plus 8 at Road Atlanta 1983
Time Machine: One Family’s 40 Year Morgan Odyssey
by Dan Stewart
The December, 1968 issue of Road & Track arrived in the mail about a month late, as it always did at our home in San Salvador, El Salvador. My father had been a subscriber for years, and as his career had taken our family first to Europe and then Central America, he and I had become accustomed to receiving the magazine late, and occasionally in tatters.
This issue contained an item that captured my father’s attention more than most. On pages 102 and 103, there was an article by Eoin Young about a sensational new Morgan, the Plus 8, powered by the Rover 3.5 liter all-aluminum V-8. This engine was of particular interest to my father, who spent his entire thirty-eight year career working for Alcoa Aluminum; first as a metallurgist, and then in upper management with the company’s international division. He was an enthusiastic proponent of the aluminum internal combustion engine, and during the war had assisted Packard with their production of the mighty Merlin V-12 that propelled the P-51 fighter aircraft. He had previously owned a 1962 Buick Skylark convertible powered by the same compact V-8 used in the Morgan before GM had sold the production rights and tooling to Rover. I should add that my dad was an unapologetic automotive enthusiast, and although he had never owned a British sports car he was more than open to the idea if the right one came along.
Nothing was going to come of it as long as we lived in El Salvador, but our family’s four-year sojourn there was coming to an end. The following summer, we learned that Alcoa management had decided that my father was just the man they needed to manage their expanding operations in the UK. So it was that in the fall of 1969, my parents moved to the town of Droitwich, in Worcestershire, and I was sent off to a boarding school in Rome, Italy to complete my senior year of high school. My sister, three years older than I, was by this time attending college in California.
This being long before the days of cheap, instant communication, the weekly letter from home was eagerly anticipated. I was especially interested to hear about the new family home and surroundings, as I had travelled directly to Italy from El Salvador. When one particular letter arrived that autumn, I quickly found a quiet spot to read it. My mother always wrote her part first, and I got the usual tidbits about the new house, neighbors, and surroundings. When I came to my father’s section, my heart raced with excitement as I read that he had “…Placed an order for a Sunset Yellow Morgan Plus 8 at the Earl’s Court Motor Show.” He went on to say that the car would be delivered in the late spring of the following year. I quickly wrote back to praise my father for the wisdom of his decision and began to count down the days to delivery.
~ to continue reading Dan’s story about 40-years of Morgan Plus 8 ownership, click here
Morgan Aero SuperSports – the latest limited production Morgan sports car
Mar 27th
Morgan Aero SuperSports
Following in the footsteps of the instantly collectable Morgan Aeromax, Morgan Motor Company introduced the Aero SuperSports at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. As of February 2010, Morgan are proud to announce that over half of the 200 limited production run of SuperSports have already been sold.
Innovations include the use of high tech super formed aluminium panels for the entire body. This process allows the most complex of shapes to be made in aluminium which are then fitted by hand over a traditional ash frame. Beautifully detailed inside, the coachbuilt ash frame proves that construction of the Morgan Aero SuperSports remains true to Morgan philosophy. Using this unique mix of technology and high quality materials, the car is assembled with care and dedication by the craftsman and women in Malvern. This method of construction offers a minimum of carbon emissions and maximum sustainability.
The body is bolted to the stiff yet lightweight AeroMax chassis which is fitted with the 367hp 4.8 litre BMW V8 engine. This gives SuperSports performance to match its name. For the first time a Morgan comes with an automatic gearbox as standard. The latest ZF 6HP 26 gearbox gives the fastest change in the world and endows the automatic with better acceleration and fuel economy than the manual thanks to its lock up clutch, low power loss and instant change characteristics. It also delivers lower CO2 emissions, 260 g/km, a figure not normally associated with a 0-62 mph (100 kph) capability of just 4.2 seconds and a top speed in excess of 170mph.
Reassurance and security are provided by Electronic Brake Distribution, cruise control, ABS and Siemens electronic airbags.
The technically advanced engine and lightweight construction give the best of all worlds – performance, economy and low emissions, yet still with all of the safety systems one would expect in a modern performance car.
Morgan believes that with the Aero SuperSports it leads the way in exclusive bespoke low volume car construction. The production techniques use quality raw materials and advanced technologies that are not available to Morgan’s competitors in the world of luxury car production. Owners of the Morgan Aero SuperSports will be joining a very exclusive Club with a unique opportunity to share their motoring dreams.
A selection of photographs of this wonderful Morgan limited edition sports car can be found at the excellent resource, of information on all the Morgan cars, Talk Morgan.