3 WHEELER
UPDATES
Malvern, February 2, 2012 (32st update)
Customer deliveries have begun. CLICK
for the customer consensus! The first M3W was successfully
UK road registered on January 27th, two weeks after the dealers were informed
that #45 passed the UK governmental requirements. The Company completed
the list of changes requested of them some weeks ago. Here are the
Official Specs. This will also
allow registration of all past examples and demos and the required
paperwork (CoCs and CoNs) will be sent out to dealers during the course
of this week, Deliveries of the remaining dealer demos for the UK and Europe
have restarted. Overseas dealers have been told that their demos will be
delayed until the late Spring, The cost of the first year's road tax,
which must be paid by all UK buyers, is £215, plus the £55
first time registration fee. The M3W is 38
weeks behind the original schedule of customer delivery dates.
The Works has alerted dealers that a new customer build date schedule will
be given out shortly. Its weight, as reported earlier, is (higher than
expected at 550kg which forced the classification as a Class 4 vehicle
(a car). Fuel mileage is now stated as 36 mpg rather than the 50 mpg
listed earlier and emissions (at CO 3,84 g/km) are above those
given for 4-wheelers. There has been a recent post on a UK forum stating
that a trike takes 10-12 weeks to build. This is, of course, inaccurate
and should not cause buyer concern. Regular customer deliveries have
begun. Morgan has stated that that there are now 850 deposits (ranging
from 100£ to 3000£), (50 more than November),
which
works out to an output of 20 per working week. M3W assembly has overflowed
into the Aero work shed.
NEW WEBSITE
LOOK
Malvern, UK, February 2, 2012
 The MMC unveiled
a very bold new look website
today. It features a stylized image of the
AMC on
the home page. The subsections remain the same and, as yet, one may be
required to use the Microsoft Explorer browser to navigate the site.
SPORTS MODELS BECOME
AN OPTION
Malvern, UK, February 2, 2012
The new MMC website site makes it official.
The MMC will now offer "Sports" versions of the Classic (trad)
models as an option rather than as a separate model. This will cut down
on the confusion with what is available and when. too many Please
note that there are still examples of the Limited Edition Plus 4 Super
Sports, announced last year still available (the hardtops in
the original specification are no longer included.
MMC SALES
Malvern, February 1, 2011 (4th update)
4-wheeler sales dropped in 2011 in every market, (with Germany being
the exception). Mr. Morgan now estimates that 4-wheeler sales will decrease
in 2012. However, with the UK government acceptance, the M3W shed is very
busy..taking over the Aero building. Steve Morris, the managing director,
has assured the local media that production is booming and new workers
are being hired. (There were a number of older workers who did not to return
after Christmas.)
ANNIVERSARY 4/4
Malvern, UK, December 16, 2011
The MMC's new Anniversary 4/4 "built to celebrate 75 years of manufacture
of the Morgan 4/4" has arrived at dealers.
The new model, a 4/4 with a Plus 4 engine, was not shown at the Top Gear
show as promised. It is priced at £38,750 or £9000 more
than a 4/4 Sport and £6000 more than a stock Plus 4 (LHD prices will
be higher) and a power-to-weight of 217 bhp per tonne. First reactions
find the lithe lines and extra power a very attractive combination. |
SEND BASHER YOUR BEST!!
Malvern, UK, February 3, 2012
I'm hoping that quite a lot of you know who Basher is: John Bishop.
Most commonly seen  making
bonnets on Pickersleigh Road, he's one of the reasons we love our cars
so much. As a reminder here's some video of him made from 1988
to 2009. Back in January, John had a major 'big C' operation and
he's just started a further 6 weeks of treatment. "Send
Basher Your Best" is a Facebook group that anyone can join and
send a little note to him to help keep his spirits up. If you don't have
a Facebook account ask someone who does to do it on your behalf. Please
spread this amongst your Morgan friends. Many thanks. Richard Atherton,
Basher Buddy
ROADSTER
IV
Malvern, UK, February 1, 2012 (16th update)
The long-anticipated Roadster IV is about to arrive! (The last Roadster
was made in July.) Steve Morris, a MMC director, stated to the
BBC that the new Roadster will be "online" by the end of February 2012
and
information indicates that the date was prudently given. Brochures were
sent to dealers in November, with regrets for the delay. Information from
our readers give the Factory specs as: "The 3.7l Roadster adds high
performance and luxury to the basic formula. The most powerful engine ever
fused with the iconic classic car platform." It is expected that the
| Engine: Ford 3.7 Cyclone V6 |
| Power: 194 kw (260 bhp) @ 6000 rpm |
| Dry Weight: 950kg |
| Performance: 0-62 - 6 seconds |
| Top speed: 140mph (225kph) |
engine power can be mightily increased as the US Mustang's version
produces 303 bhp with the same unit. As it is, the power-to-weight ratio
is 274 brake horse power per tonne, making it the most potent stock
trad built in history. It will be fit with a six speed gear box and a longer
(BTR) axle ratio at 3.08: The MMC SRP price for a RHD Roadster price
will rise by 3360£ (VAT incl.) for a base price of. £43,360
for
a RHD 2-seater and more for a LHD, but UK dealer
ads put the figure higher at £46,860.
RE-BODIED
AERO NAMED
"THE PLUS 8"
Malvern, February 2, 2012 (12th update)
The latest version of the Aero (see
images) will be presented at the Geneva Show in March. As
posted for the last months, the May 2012 Dealer's meeting was advised that
the MMC would try to sell the BMW 4.8 engines left over from the Aero
Super Sports Limited Edition by bodying them in tradesque panels.
There are no other upgrades or changes reported. However, staff suggest
that the lighter body has increased the power-to- weight to 330 bhp
a tonne, a marked boost over any earlier Aero. Mr. Morgan surprised
observers by writing that he ordered "450" of the engines for future units
production. (BMW stopped the 4.8 production for its own cars
in 2010) Dealers were advised that deliveries begin after the Show,
but production has begun. A full UK invoice is the same as that posted
here last May at
£90K (with a 20k deposit.) The
MMC calls this new Aero "PLUS 8" Original Plus 8 residuals
are now high in the UK and Europe. Parkin
Interview
NO
USA KIT CAR
Shelby, NC, USA, January 12, 2012
The MMC initiative to ship kit cars to the USA has been withdrawn.
Reported on the Wire and US dealers
last Fall, the MMC planned to ship "Malvern Roadster" rollers
as car parts to the USA where engines would be installed, local state registered
as kit cars and sold on to US dealers. Mr. Cox, the US contact, states
that the effort stumbled on issues of MMC pricing and the USA dealer reaction
to the registration details. |
AERO
MORGAN COUPE
Malvern, February 2, 2012 (9th update)
Another addition to the Aero-line was announced in the November edition
of California's
Format
A LETTER
from Charles Morgan spoke of a new "revised" version of the
Aero
SS to be officially unveiled at the Geneva
Show in March
The Works sighting (above) appears on dealer web sites in the UK. Contrary
to information (click Facebook
logo)
given by Aero owners last Spring, Morgan also noted that the
Aero SS is still being produced. This is the second new version
in just 2 weeks and will be named the Aero Morgan Coupe (AMC).
A detailed description was not offered but today, February 3, 2012
Mr. Morgan indicated on his Twitter account that the MMC website will have
details of the new version tomorrow. The design has largely returned to
Aeromax
format.
The Targa top has been closed, (there were leak issues reported)
by welding/gluing in metal panels. But the car will retain the unusual
recessed boot lid of the Aero SS. (The earlier Aeromax had hinged rear
windows but these created issues and were replaced by the lid). and the
side windows have the rear finish seen in the EvaGT
mockup. The version will be the one of three current Aero options. All
versions use the same technology, chassis, running gear and engines. The
price for this one is £99,950
price. Deposit £20,000.
NEW MMC MOG MAGAZINE
Malvern, UK, February 2, 2012
The Morgan Motor Company has announced the launch of a new magazine
for Morgan enthusiasts  to
be called "MOG". Though details are
not yet given, the released front cover indicates a March start-up date
with a £3.99 price. Advertising rates are not out yet but all potential
advertisers are being contacted. MOG will compete in England
with the Morgan
World sold by UK dealer Melvyn Rutter, and Miscellany,
sold by the Morgan Sports Car Club. This is Works first newsletter
effort since they stopped the Malvern Link.
BACK TO LEMANS
Malvern, UK, January 29, 2012
The MMC has entered into a relationship with Oak
Racing, the FIA World Endurance Championship competitor. Details
are not given but pursuant to the arrangements, Oak Racing's latest OAK-Pescarolo
LMP2 cars will be labeled "Morgan Judd" for the 2012 Season.
The owner of Oak Racing is also one of the partners in the new Morgan dealer,
Marcassus..
EvaGT
DELAYED TWO YEARS
Malvern, December 12, 2011 (2nd update)
Charles Morgan has announced a new fresh concept for the EvaGT. His
previous media release, which was unveiled in clay at Pebble
Beach in 2010, stated shipments would begin immediately after the
Geneva Auto Show in March this year. However, today Mr. Morgan revealed
that he has been able to secure £1.7 million in funding for a joint
project that hopes to produce the
MAGMOG.
The first EvaGT
concept will be replaced by a magnesium alloy that will be used
as the primary material in the construction of the new body structure.
Partners in the project (lead by the MMC) will include Magnesium Elektron
UK,
Penso Consulting,
Superform Aluminum &
Coventry
University. The earlier specifications on the EvaGT (ver.1) are no
longer pertinent and those for the EvaGT (ver.2) have not been given out.
The new debut is slated to happen in 2014 rather than 2012. A price
change and the deposits collected for first EvaGT version in 2010 were
not addressed in the MMC press release.
news: newsdesk@mogwire.com |
