Thursday 31st October 2013

Charles Morgan: game over

Morgan board stands by its decision; Charles Morgan defends his record

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Charles Morgan won’t be coming back to Morgan after the board decided to stand by its earlier decision following an appeal hearing last Friday. It means there won’t be a Morgan on the board of directors for the first time since the company was founded by Charles’s grandfather in 1910.

In a statement posted on his website Morgan said, “I have been dismissed on what I believe are very contentious grounds. It is incredibly disappointing news for my family and myself. We remain very grateful for the expressions of support received from Morgan fans, workers and the public since this process began.”

In a document seen by Autocar, the reasons for the dismissal were alleged to be misconduct ranging from supporting Morgan-backed 2012 Le Mans cars without approval, to taking payments for talks about his days as an ITN cameraman, again without board approval.

He blamed a mismatch in vision for the company for his removal. “Over the last 12 months, it was made increasingly clear that my philosophy to modernise Morgan did not fit with the philosophy of the current management.

“My view is that Morgan’s future cannot rely on its heritage alone. As such, I endeavoured to introduce our unique brand to new markets such as China; to take Morgan racing again; and to engage the passion of a new generation using social media, and by doing interesting things such as the Gumball Rally in a 3-Wheeler.”

The Morgan Motor Company announced Charles Morgan was stepping down from the board and his ambassadorial role in the firm last Monday. Charles then hit back by retweeting messages of support sent to him on Twitter, and appealed the decision.

He says remains a major shareholder in Morgan and is “concerned for its future”.

[Source: Charles Morgan personal blog]

[Hasbeen]

What a pity. Morgan is on it's way to extinction, like hundreds of other motor manufacturer run simply as a business.

With out it's tradition, Morgan is just another car maker, & there is no more reason to buy it's product than any other car.

I remember not long after I bought my first new Morgan in 1962 seeing an interview with Mr. Honda. He was asked his thoughts on the industry. He predicted that by today there would only be 10 separate car manufacturers world wide. He then corrected himself to add, "and Morgan of course".

We can now see the beginning of the end of Morgan. As Morgan they could survive a mistake like the aborted +4+ thing. Now as just another bit player, their next mistake will be their last. They will be absorbed into some conglomerate or other for a while, then disappear for ever.

Good by Morgan, it WAS great while it lasted, & the world will be poorer for your passing.