Discussion
Having been a Morgan owner for several years (now moved onto a TVR Chimaera), I feel that Morgan have made a mistake with the Aero 8. It will never replace the 'traditional' Mog range - certainly not with that price tag. I think it would have been better if they had not tried to stick with the traditional Mog profile but had adopted a different styling influence, much like they did with the Plus Four Plus, though that car would have sold more had it been a convertible. I believe that the Morgan fraternity would have been happy to have Morgan bring out a new car as long as it had obvious retro-styling. But as it has obvious family links with the current models it is too easy to compare styling with the other Morgan models, and the old familiar Mog will always be preferred by most of the rank & file.
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The Aero 8 is a beauty and as someone said earlier it just looks right , its made with all the right materials go`s well handels well and "is" in big demand, its got a reliable and powerful engine and Morgan have had help from one of "The" premier auto makers in the world , i think it looks superb , classic yet modern.
Don`t pass judgment until you see it for real
Don`t pass judgment until you see it for real
Marki you are right. I saw all the pictures and was...well...unimpressed. I dropped in to Portfield a couple of weeks ago and had a sniff round one and well, although you wouldn't find me driving one I can understand someone who does. The colour makes a huge difference I saw one in blue (the same as the report) and an orange one - yes orange. Blue is better IMO.
I still don't like the front 'in the flesh' and I don't like the back view much, and the sides are odd, but hey it's only me. It did strike me as large though did it feel large Graham? I wouldn't mind a drive in one just to see for myself but I don't see Portfield going for that.
All in all a different beast alltogether and top marks for Morgan for putting it out there, it takes all sorts and how boring would the world be if we all drove round in TVR's?
And as for the radio - Clive! In cars like ours radios shouldn't be an option.
I still don't like the front 'in the flesh' and I don't like the back view much, and the sides are odd, but hey it's only me. It did strike me as large though did it feel large Graham? I wouldn't mind a drive in one just to see for myself but I don't see Portfield going for that.
All in all a different beast alltogether and top marks for Morgan for putting it out there, it takes all sorts and how boring would the world be if we all drove round in TVR's?
And as for the radio - Clive! In cars like ours radios shouldn't be an option.
Hi .mark,
At 1770mm/4'11" many people apparently find the Aero 8 quite wide, which it is compared to the Plus 8. Not quite as wide as say a DB7 or an Esprit though.
From the driver's seat the main impression is one of length because you're sat so far back from the front wheels. But again, at 4120mm/13'2" long the Aero 8 is still shorter than many modern cars. Tell you one thing though, reversing out from between cars parked in bays at right angles to the road is a hell of a lot easier than doing it forwards! Unless you have the hood up that is...
As usual though, once you've had a couple of days behind the wheel you get used to the size.
Guess even a Hummer feels normal after the first few weeks.
At 1770mm/4'11" many people apparently find the Aero 8 quite wide, which it is compared to the Plus 8. Not quite as wide as say a DB7 or an Esprit though.
From the driver's seat the main impression is one of length because you're sat so far back from the front wheels. But again, at 4120mm/13'2" long the Aero 8 is still shorter than many modern cars. Tell you one thing though, reversing out from between cars parked in bays at right angles to the road is a hell of a lot easier than doing it forwards! Unless you have the hood up that is...
As usual though, once you've had a couple of days behind the wheel you get used to the size.
Guess even a Hummer feels normal after the first few weeks.
I test drove one just before I bought the Viper. I thought magic, enormous car, loads of room inside for all sorts of stuff. I couldnt have been more wrong! Its like sitting in an Elise, theres this enormous 'table' for want of a better word between the driver and the passenger that I suppose covers all the transmission.
Wicked cars though, capable of scaling a 70 degree incline!
Matt.
Wicked cars though, capable of scaling a 70 degree incline!
Matt.
I saw a couple of Hummers driving about when I was in the states last year, they don't look at all out of place, one was in fact dawdling along towing one of those little collapsable trailer tent things.
Which reminds me, I once saw one of 'normal' Morgans towing a huge glider trailer along the A14. Good work fella.
Which reminds me, I once saw one of 'normal' Morgans towing a huge glider trailer along the A14. Good work fella.
It is indeed a case of the rose tinted specs was Graham wearing when he wrote that article? On the one hand he says we are welcome to disagree with him regarding the looks yet he berates Pistonheads gassers for what he clearly considers as unfair comment about its gawky looks. Ok so Morgan use mass-produced headlamps but does that excuse them gluing them on lopsided and the wrong way round? How anyone can say the Aero8 is visually a car for the 21st century is beyond me, indeed it may well have been what every schoolboy would have drawn in his doodle book... back in the 40's and that’s exactly the point, there is no new visual design thought in this car at all, it is a simple pastiche of every other Morgan since the 1930's - with the exception of the lovely plus-4-plus which sadly never took off – now that was a chance for Morgan to really break the mould. No I have not driven one, but from an aesthetic viewpoint it is poor. The interior is oh so cramped, ok there are a few alloy knobs but come on, Clive is right you expect more for your 50k and whoever it was who managed to compare a Morgan interior to a TVR has clearly taken of the rose specs and put on Roy Orbison's, they are so different as to be incomparable! Get real it is an ugly car cramped that goes like stink, you could save 25k and buy a Caterham 7, a good looking car that is even more cramped and also goes like stink! R...
Hi richb,
OK, so I might wear glasses but I can assure you they’re not tinted rose or any other hue. And, no, I don’t drive a Morgan either. I have tested a Plus 8, and while it was a nice way to spend a sunny spring day it’s just not my kind of car. Much rather have a Lotus, a Marcos or a TVR.
Regarding the Aero 8 being cramped – only for big people, which is always going to be unavoidable with a narrow cockpit. As you say, you can get the same effect for a lot less money with a Caterham 7, or for even less money with any one of a number of similar though less famous kit cars.
And I’d guess that the reason for the headlights being swapped over is due to all the curvature involved and having to make things fit together.
You mention the Plus Four Plus as an example of what Morgan should have done. (For those not in the know, this was a coupe launched by Morgan in 1963 with modern styling). But what happened to that? It was derided as not being a ‘proper Morgan’ and had sales about on par with those of the Noble M10. In short, it bombed, and you can’t blame Morgan for not wanting to make the same mistake twice.
You also say that there’s no new styling thought in the Aero 8 at all. Well new styling thought is exactly what FBS have tried to offer with the Census, and what happens? They get slagged off for producing an odd looking car.
As far as I’m concerned the confirmation that Morgan have done the right thing with the Aero 8 came in the last paragraph of my report. 250 orders already (which I think is more than 10 times the total sales of the Plus Four Plus) these being a mixture of traditional Morgan buyers and people who would never have considered a Morgan previously. So no rose tinted glasses there either…
OK, so I might wear glasses but I can assure you they’re not tinted rose or any other hue. And, no, I don’t drive a Morgan either. I have tested a Plus 8, and while it was a nice way to spend a sunny spring day it’s just not my kind of car. Much rather have a Lotus, a Marcos or a TVR.
Regarding the Aero 8 being cramped – only for big people, which is always going to be unavoidable with a narrow cockpit. As you say, you can get the same effect for a lot less money with a Caterham 7, or for even less money with any one of a number of similar though less famous kit cars.
And I’d guess that the reason for the headlights being swapped over is due to all the curvature involved and having to make things fit together.
You mention the Plus Four Plus as an example of what Morgan should have done. (For those not in the know, this was a coupe launched by Morgan in 1963 with modern styling). But what happened to that? It was derided as not being a ‘proper Morgan’ and had sales about on par with those of the Noble M10. In short, it bombed, and you can’t blame Morgan for not wanting to make the same mistake twice.
You also say that there’s no new styling thought in the Aero 8 at all. Well new styling thought is exactly what FBS have tried to offer with the Census, and what happens? They get slagged off for producing an odd looking car.
As far as I’m concerned the confirmation that Morgan have done the right thing with the Aero 8 came in the last paragraph of my report. 250 orders already (which I think is more than 10 times the total sales of the Plus Four Plus) these being a mixture of traditional Morgan buyers and people who would never have considered a Morgan previously. So no rose tinted glasses there either…
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