It would be hard to seriously question Morgan's progress under majority shareholder, Investindustrial. The new Super 3 - the firm's impressive follow-up to its inimitable 3-Wheeler - is merely the icing on a three-year-old cake. A burgeoning relationship with BMW may well have saddled some models with an all-too-familiar gear lever, but it has also resulted in better and more modern Morgans. Ditto the newer, cleverer architecture that underpins them.
Nevertheless, the pace of change required this decade is fearsome, and evidently it was felt that the 'further development of timeless coach-built sports cars' needed turbocharging. Hence the new appointment of Massimo Fumarola as CEO. The former Chief Project Management Officer at Lamborghini will be handed operational control of the company, with current CEO, Steve Morris, a 40-year Morgan veteran, becoming Executive Chairman.
Strategic growth is said to be number one on Fumarola's to-do list, driven by new product development and the global promotion of the Morgan brand. "This is an extremely important appointment for the Morgan Motor Company. Massimo joins Morgan at a time when it is perfectly primed and positioned for future growth and further success. Therefore, it's crucial that we have found someone of Massimo's calibre, passion, and experience to work alongside me to help further cement the company's recognition as one of the world's most iconic sports car brands."
Fumarola has swiftly declared himself a long-time fan of Malvern's most famous export. "When I was a young boy, our neighbour had a Morgan, and I dreamt of driving a Morgan myself one day. For me, a Morgan is the best combination of pure vehicle dynamics, light-weight design, driving pleasure, quality refinement, functional design, and courageous engineering. Morgan sports cars are not about performances, they are about a truly authentic, unconventional and exhilarating driving experience." With a bumper order book and plenty of new product to crow about, Fumarola ought to enjoy a smooth start to life in Worcestershire. But it will probably be what he and Morgan opt to do next that will ultimately define its place in fast-changing times.
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