Currently reading: Morgan to reinvent itself with high-performance sports car
All-new two-seat coupé and roadster are under way to take Morgan into the future

Morgan is working on an all-new high-performance sports car flagship that will both reinforce its reputation for classic design and move it on a couple of decades, notionally into the Jaguar E-Type era.

The new car, which will be made in both coupeà and roadster forms, follows several years of research into what a traditionally minded 109-year-old car company should do next, without threatening its successful classic model range. It is being created in-house by design and engineering teams that now total around 30 people as a result of recent, well-targeted investment.

The new hand-made flagship’s first iteration is understood to be a two-door, two-seat coupeà that should appear in the mid-2020s, estimated to be priced near the level of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. It will use a new architecture with the classic Morgan front-engine, rear-drive layout and continue the marque’s tradition for compact dimensions and light weight, while utilising the latest in chassis and powertrain engineering.

Morgan bosses are coy about revealing the new car’s performance and power, not least because it will have several different powertrains, including electrified variants, over its life. Early versions are likely to use a downsized, forced-induction six-cylinder petrol engine producing 350bhp-plus, driving through either a manual six-speed or paddle-shift automatic gearbox.

Development workshop

Performance is likely to be close to Plus 8 levels, which means a top speed of 150mph-plus and 0-60mph acceleration in the 4.5sec bracket.

The new car’s key structural element will be its new-era bonded and riveted box-section chassis in aluminium, created specifically for versatility in multiple applications.

This chassis, under final development now in Morgan’s workshops, will have its first production application next year in a model that uses the brand’s current classic architecture, to be launched as part of Morgan’s forthcoming 110th-anniversary celebrations.

Previous premium-level Morgans also used a bespoke aluminium chassis, but that design was created in 2000 and has been much modified since to meet current legislation. Morgan believes the new design can provide the right basis for its pricier models for the next decade, and probably beyond.

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Morgan managing director Steve Morris said the new flagship shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for the Aero or Plus 8 models, recently discontinued after Morgan’s supply contract for normally aspirated 4.8-litre BMW V8s ended. Rather, it is an early result of several years’ study into how the company should shape its future.

Morgan designers jonathan wells and tom brainwood working in clay room

The new chassis is the first tangible sign of this, said Morris. It is very similar in weight and dimensions to the Aero’s outgoing structure but twice as stiff. It can also provide comfortable driving for both bigger and smaller people than existing Morgans, hence its internal description as “the wide-bodied car”.

It can also cope with the predicted demands of electrification, which might, for example, require the car to carry sizeable traction batteries and provide space in its centre-rear chassis for electric drive motors.

Design head Jon Wells said shaping the new Morgan requires integrating traditional Morgan values into a new look that moves forward in era.

One model in Morgan’s design history that faced a similar challenge is the Plus 4 Plus of 1962, a coupeà that set out to modernise Morgan and is widely admired today for its beauty. Only 26 copies were sold, mainly because the company’s marketing people (at the time dealing with enormous demand for their roadsters) unrealistically priced it alongside the then-new Jaguar E-Type.

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Research development and design office

The Plus 4 Plus was “neither classic nor modern”, said Wells, but made the bold move of ditching Morgan’s tradition for running boards.

Wells believes Morgan’s design palette is wider than most people think, aided by elements of the Plus 4 Plus, the Aero and Aeromax, and the recently revitalised 3 Wheeler.

Among desirable Morgan design traits, he lists a short front overhang, a longer rear overhang with a low rear deck, round headlights, the driver located behind the car’s centre line, a rounded ‘mouth’, elegant front wings whose highest point is over the car’s front wheels and, above all, a look of coachbuilt authenticity, enhanced by great care with surfacing and positioning of shutlines.

“Our task is to take the charm of classic motoring and make it relevant,” Wells said, “so that it can be respected and desired as a good piece of modern design.”

Morgan has great timing: 

Morgan’s decision to take time over launching a new range of flagship models looks extremely wise, given that it has just had its best car-selling year in 109 years.

In today’s uncertain conditions, it must be reassuring to be selling models whose appeal is a given, and which face no head-to-head rivals. If it keeps making the classics, the Malvern company is almost bound to stay healthy. This is also a nice moment for a new flagship. The outgoing Aero leaves a gap ready to be filled by something different. Design head Jon Wells knows the brand and its customers well and is at the height of his powers. Those of us who know and love Morgan have often wondered how this unique brand can progress. Over the next few years, we’re going to find out. 

Steve Cropley

Steve Cropley Autocar
Title: Editor-in-chief

Steve Cropley is the oldest of Autocar’s editorial team, or the most experienced if you want to be polite about it. He joined over 30 years ago, and has driven many cars and interviewed many people in half a century in the business. 

Cropley, who regards himself as the magazine’s “long stop”, has seen many changes since Autocar was a print-only affair, but claims that in such a fast moving environment he has little appetite for looking back. 

He has been surprised and delighted by the generous reception afforded the My Week In Cars podcast he makes with long suffering colleague Matt Prior, and calls it the most enjoyable part of his working week.

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Comments
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aleck 1 November 2018

Hmmm...

Doesn't make sense. Everything is so great that they dump their entire lineup and start from scratch! I smell rubbish.

Peter Cavellini 30 October 2018

Retro is in ?!

  Would be nice to see new Morgan’s again, but,hasn’t the original had it’s Day?

Luap 30 October 2018

Peter Cavellini wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

  Would be nice to see new Morgan’s again, but,hasn’t the original had it’s Day?

 

Silly Peter Captain Obvious Spam Your Name Everywhere Cavellini.

At least do SOME research before you post and make yourself look like a fool again.

jonboy4969 30 October 2018

Peter Cavellini wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

  Would be nice to see new Morgan’s again, but,hasn’t the original had it’s Day?

God you talk rubbish - it clearly says that they have had the best year EVER, so people are buying the cars more now than ever, so NO the Originla clearly has not had its day - you stick to your Corsa from 10 years ago and leave real car making to those that can do it and sell every car that they can produce.

5wheels 1 November 2018

pathetic snide

jonboy4969 wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

  Would be nice to see new Morgan’s again, but,hasn’t the original had it’s Day?

God you talk rubbish - it clearly says that they have had the best year EVER, so people are buying the cars more now than ever, so NO the Originla clearly has not had its day - you stick to your Corsa from 10 years ago and leave real car making to those that can do it and sell every car that they can produce.

JB you are an obnoxious piece of pubaholic. no need to be rude. When you grow up and into long pants perhaps you might have something kind and decent to say until then do us all a favour and bug out

5wheels 1 November 2018

Peter Cavellini wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

  Would be nice to see new Morgan’s again, but,hasn’t the original had it’s Day?

morning Peter. They mention being discontinued due lack of power plant supply from BMW why they dont use an Audi I dont know. Anyway seems the bone shaking ash chassis is gone thank God. They need reinvent themselves fast and they MUST go hybrid at least

P. Dron 13 November 2018

Woodentop

The "ash chassis". Oh, ha ha. And when did you last drive a Morgan, if ever?