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Morgan Aero 8
Debut: 2001
Maker: Morgan
Predecessor:
Plus 8
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|
 It
is hard to imagine Morgan’s cars remained largely unchanged since 1936
yet enjoyed the industry’s longest waiting list. The answer is simple:
Morgan is a timeless icon. Look at that classic shape, chromed details,
wooden chassis frame ... nothing can be more special to own. Because of
this, Peter Morgan did not bother to make any big changes.
Nevertheless,
his son Charles Morgan - the third generation of the family business -
wants to explore a new territory where his father never dare to. He
hired
the best men to design an aluminum chassis. He restyled the classical
shape
by himself, modernized it while - for the first time - taking
aerodynamics
into consideration. He contacted BMW for sourcing a V8 engine, and he
was
surprised that the German giant was even interested in providing help
in
dynamics. Lastly, he submitted the car for full European type approval
and got the certificate, a thing many British sports car makers do not
manage. The result is Aero 8.
 Aero
8 is to be the company’s top model rather than replacing the
traditional
Plus 8, the latter is still crucial as - predictably - not all
customers
can accept the radical approach of the new car. Take the exterior shape
as an example, many people are not convinced with its
aerodynamic-optimized
front wings and 959-like headlights. It is a combination of classic and
modern, but can also be criticized as neither classic nor modern,
depends
on whether you love it. But sitting inside still feels very Morgan.
Firstly,
you sit low and near the rear axle, looking forward see a long long
bonnet
rarely found in modern machines. Secondly, what surrounding you is
still
the lovely ash wood frames and leather tailored in good old tradition.
Dashboard now has milled-finished alloy surface to enhance the sense of
occasion unfound in other cars. The cabin is still narrow - thanks to
the
pre-war front wings that eat into cabin’s width - but everything feels
good. Good driving position, reasonable legroom, supportive seats, good
visibility from square and flat windscreen. The only complaint is the
soft
hood, which is leaky and inconvenient to operate.
The chassis is
an
aluminium
tub, bonded by rivets and glue like Lotus Elise. Of course, it is many
times stiffer than Plus 8’s ancient steel ladder chassis. This seems a
big contrast to the wooden frames which support the aluminium skin. In
fact, Charles Morgan preserves the wooden frames for customer
satisfaction
rather than technical reason. It is the rigid chassis rather than the
non-stressed
skin that withstand crash test. The skin, however, is designed to
optimized
aerodynamics for the first time. Morgan will never reveal the drag
coefficient
of the old cars, but the new car’s 0.39 is undoubtedly a good work for
a classical-shaped open-top vehicle, especially when you consider that
pre-war windscreen. Aerodynamic lift is not a problem as well, thanks
to
the little spoiler on the boot lid and the diffuser under the tail.
 The
Aero 8 weighs just 1135kg, this makes a standard BMW 4.4-litre V8
(286hp
and 324lbft) powerful enough to launch it to 60mph in sub-5 seconds.
Unsurprisingly,
the BMW engine is creamy smooth and almost too quiet for a sports car.
It pulls strongly at any rev, providing a superior mid-range or in-gear
acceleration than many real sports cars. So, next time when you see
this
strange-looking Morgan in the mirror of your 911, you’d better to move
to the slow lane. The 6-speed manual comes along with the V8, so shift
quality is still in BMW’s tradition.
Some
words to say
about the
V8: it is amazing how Morgan fit the V8 into the narrow engine bay of
the
car. Open the engine lid and you’ll see it is tight fit - so tight that
I’m afraid the newer, more powerful Valvetronic V8 will not fit. One of
the reasons why Morgan decided to try BMW’s engine is to prepare for
the
death of Rover V8, so it must make sure that BMW can supply its V8 in
the
foreseeable future. Anyway, as the new Range Rover will also use this
BMW
4.4 V8, supply seems guaranteed in the future.
The Aero 8 is
effortless
and enjoyable to drive fast, thanks to the superb engine. Its ride is
also
a big improvement from the rock-hard Plus 8. As the chassis is very
rigid,
suspensions are tuned more absorbent to road irregularities yet body
control
remains flat in cornering. However, being a good ground-covering
machine
is not necessarily a good sports car. Although it has some good
ingredients
- lightweight, strong power, stiff chassis for example - its steering
is
not very communicative, also lack of self-centering. This makes the car
difficult to be placed accurately. Brake feel is not very consistent
too.
Autocar’s road testers are especially critical about its handling.
Anyway, Morgan
has never
pretended to be a real sports car. It is sold to those enjoy laid-back
motoring and admiring sights. Buying this revolutionary Morgan just add
more flexible power, refinement and ride comfort to enhance those
traditional
values. Then any gain in performance and handling is just a bonus. I
think
Autocar has misunderstood the best-ever Morgan. |
| The
above report was last updated on 11 Nov
2001. All Rights Reserved. |
Aeromax
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 A
Morgan Aero 8 is normally sold for £62,500. If you consider that
as overpriced, what about the £110,000 Aeromax ? Absurd ?
The Aeromax was developed under the request of a special client (who
eventually ordered 4 cars). Basically it is an Aero 8 with a fixed roof
and a tail that resembles the classic Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic of
1935-37. Many classic car collectors regard the Bugatti as the most
beautiful car ever built. What a pity it is no longer possible to
replicate its beauty in modern packaging. If someone succeed to do so,
it must be Morgan, because Morgan is not so modern.
Morgan launched its 4/4 in 1936, just one year later than the Bugatti.
Today, the old fashioned architecture of 4/4 still lives under the
aluminum skins of Aero 8, no matter the proportion, the style or the
wooden frame chassis. It didn’t take Morgan too much efforts to convert
it into the head-turning Aeromax. A roof made of ash wood frame and
aluminum sheets, split rear windows and LED taillights borrowed from
Lancia Thesis complete the job.
 This
car is definitely one of the most spectacular-looking cars on the road.
It is simply a living history. It has that exclusive feel of a
coach-built car. Indeed it is. Made largely by hands and only 100 units
will be built, it is more exclusive than many supercars costing
multiple times. From this viewpoint, the £110,000 price tag seems
totally reasonable.
The rest of the car is identical to Aero 8. Its latest powertrain is
BMW’s 4.8-liter V8 and ZF 6-speed automatic transmission. A combination
of 367 horsepower and 1180 kg dry weight results in a modern
performance level - 170 mph top speed and 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds. Its
handling is also far sportier than you would believe, though you have
the right to expect more from a £110,000 sports car. However, the highlight of this
car has never been absolute performance, ride or handling, but its
marvellous
design. |
| The
above report was last updated on 18 Jul
2008. All Rights Reserved. |
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General remarks
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Aero 8 (S1)
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Aero 8 (S2)
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Aero 8 (S4)
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Layout
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Front-engined, RWD
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Front-engined, RWD
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Front-engined, RWD |
Chassis
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Aluminum tub
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Aluminum tub |
Aluminum tub |
Body
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Aluminum skin on wooden frames
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Aluminum skin on wooden frames |
Aluminum skin on wooden frames |
| Length / width / height |
4120 / 1770
/ 1200 mm |
4120 / 1770
/ 1200 mm |
4120 / 1770
/ 1200 mm
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| Wheelbase |
2530 mm |
2530 mm |
2530 mm |
Engine
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V8, 90-degree by BMW
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V8, 90-degree by BMW |
V8, 90-degree by BMW |
Capacity
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4398 cc
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4398 cc |
4799 cc
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Valve gears
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DOHC 32 valves, VVT
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DOHC 32 valves, VVT |
DOHC 32 valves, VVT, VVL (Valvetronic)
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Induction
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-
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- |
Variable intake manifolds
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Other engine features
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-
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-
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-
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Max power
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286 hp |
325 hp |
367 hp
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Max torque
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324 lbft |
330 lbft |
370 lbft
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Transmission
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6-speed manual
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6-speed manual |
6-speed automatic
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Suspension layout
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All double-wishbones
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All double-wishbones |
All double-wishbones |
Suspension features
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-
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- |
- |
Tyres front/rear
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F: 225/40ZR18
R: 245/40ZR18
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F: 225/40ZR18
R: 245/40ZR18 |
F: 225/40ZR18
R: 245/40ZR18 |
Kerb weight
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1135 kg dry
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1132 kg dry
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1180 kg dry
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Top speed
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151 mph*
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160 mph (c)
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170 mph (c)
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0-60 mph (sec)
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4.8*
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4.4 (c)
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4.1 (c)
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0-100 mph (sec)
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11.7*
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-
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| Performance
tested by: |
*Autocar |
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Aeromax
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Layout
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Front-engined, RWD
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Chassis
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Aluminum tub
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|
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Body
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Aluminum skin on wooden frames
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| Length / width / height |
4120 / 1770
/ 1200 mm |
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| Wheelbase |
2530 mm |
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Engine
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V8, 90-degree by BMW
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Capacity
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4799 cc
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Valve gears
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DOHC 32 valves, VVT, VVL (Valvetronic) |
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Induction
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-
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Other engine features
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-
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Max power
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367 hp / 6600 rpm
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Max torque
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370 lbft / 3400 rpm
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Transmission
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6-speed automatic
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Suspension layout
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All double-wishbones
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Suspension features
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-
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Tyres front/rear
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F: 225/35ZR19
R: 245/35ZR19
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Kerb weight
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1180 kg dry
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Top speed
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170 mph (c)
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0-60 mph (sec)
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4.1 (c)
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0-100 mph (sec)
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-
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| Performance
tested by: |
- |
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