(Duplicated from the news section)

Charles Morgan has just announced that a new Morgan model, a 2+2, will be shown for the first time at 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August.

The company are aiming to put the new model into production for 2012-2013, pricing is yet to be confirmed; however, MMC would like to position the Morgan 2+2 at £40,000.

More news on this exciting addition to the Malvern range as and when it comes in. I hope that the announcement of this car in the USA is an indication that Morgan will offer the 2+2 model for sale in North America.

At 40k this new car sounds like it's based on a trad, rather than aero format.

A new tourer?

I'm curious!!!!!
hopefully it can hold a bike,
so when in 2012, when all CP's have done the development work,
I can have one as a company car

Sounds like a small coupe = MiniMax, but £40k is interesting. Could be Lifecar based design perhaps.

The aero architecture and technology at 40 k£?

If you had not already implied it is a New Car, I may have thought it could be one of those Mega Expensive High Tech Bicycles (Tandem this case) that most of the 'Big Marques' bring out.

Very interesting.

To make it compliant with USA regulations, it would make the most sense for the chassis to be Aero based.

As it is not going into production until 2012 or 2013 they have time [although I appreciate not necessarily the budget] to develop a new bonded aluminium chassis that is trad specific.

Exciting news.

we should get a presentation just before the pack it for transporting it to the US

btw: nice article in Octane by JayLeno, only he talks about the AeroSS and writes Aeromax

stole this on m-addict:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0FWQQwyxMo

a 2+2 would be a good excuse to convince the Mrs that I could use the Moggie as a daily auto.

I am suprised someone has not put an aero front, panamera middle and aeromax back together with photoshop...The perfect Morgan 2+2...Probably more pricey than the 40k...

If only I had photoshop talent the Morgan 2+2 proper English sedan would debut...

I think the OTR price with essential 'options' will be nearer £50k, I've just seen the latest list price for 4/4 Sport on Brands Hatch Morgan web site, - £29369, the drive away price with a mota-lita wheel perhaps a sports exhaust and some eared spinners etc is about £32k remember this was billed as MMC's entry level car and 16 months ago basic list was £25472.

I understood that the wings are a Morgan-signature
and therefor should keep their form in some way

I have always seen the Morgan 4/4 Sport as an incredible deal.

The original idea for the 4/4 Sport was for Morgan to offer a car that was less time consuming for the factory to build (ie lack of the customers chance to customise should mean slightly quicker production times due to batch production). In reality, I do not believe that there has been as much of a cost savings as was initially hoped for. This makes the 4/4 Sport the best value for the customer but possibly the worst in terms of margin for the company. If there has been a price increase, I can understand why (and that can only be a good thing for pre owned 4/4 values - which are already strong).

With respect to the pricing of the 2+2, a lot will depend on engine and styling imho.

If it becomes part of the Aero line, the price could be closer to £60-£70,000. Imagine an update of the Aero family styling, technology and with a high performance (and efficient) V6. Wow!

As part of the Classic line, albeit hopefully with an updated chassis which will aid compliance in other countries, the price of the other models would need to be a consideration. Even so, it could be priced slightly above the V6 Roadster, allowing for a £50-£60,000 MSRP.

Just pondering out loud but it does make for interesting discussion and exciting possibilities.

A 2+2 would be an excellent addition to the Mog range. For selfish reason it would be nice to see it come in at a reasonable price but I d think if it is styled well it could achieve a trad range topping cost.

Hmmmm bot sure how this will work to be honest.

The Aero chassis is clearly a better proposition for MMC as a high value limited run option from now on.

After all the profit per unit on 100-200 130k plus supersports is significantly higher than on a 70k aero - especially when you're limited to a maximum of 100ish units per year anyway.

An adaptation of this chassis to support the Tradd line (when it eventually falls foul of industry regulation) running on a 3rd platform in the short term (to establish credibility and not split / disturb the trad market) probably makes sense.

2+2 is the only option not covered int he current line up.

Just hope they go for a futuristic but art deco styling (a la lifecar) and keep it a coupe (2+2 hood will be very hard to neatly package and look good).

40k is ambitious but go much higher and you kill the low volume special market in supersports etc.

Glad I'm not product director at Morgan - this is going to be tough to get right in terms of the model line up making sense and also being appealing to customers..

2+2 sounds like Evora-chassis to me
but how to combine that with Morgan-signature-wings = ????

Also Musing (with some cynicism) - The problem with factories, particularly ones with so much hand work, is the difficulty in managing 'Throughput Time (= capacity)' and increases in same.

If the process is set up around one or two complex models (Skills / Machinery etc) the cost is set in for this amount of work.
Leave something out and the cost stays but 'Non Productive (lost) Time increases.

If the line is shortened to the simplest product to reduce the cost then specialist teams are needed to provide the 'Now Extras' These teams by dint of the inefficient complexity handled become very expensive.

If this type of cost rationalisation is what Morgan have been trying out on their 'Trad.' line then the differential between the 'Opening Price Point' 4/4 Sport and the Top End Roadster 100, despite the buy in cost of parts, becomes self explanatory.

Its is very hard to do though and do well in the UK without lots of workforce aggravation.
Churchill's quoted "Get them by the B**lls and their Hearts and Minds will closely follow" just does not work today. Maybe Making Cider becomes a much happier prospect.
I Sound Like a 'Bleedin Management Consultant' - anyone got a watch I can borrow to tell you the Time?

We've discussed the various engine options we'd all like to see in the life car, maybe someones wishes will come true.

The idea of a mini max is very appealing, especially as you could switch with Aeromnans Max while his on one of his trips and just claim it shrank in the rain.

To be honest I wonder if Autocar have got this right?

In the first instance it would seem strange for CM to announce this on the eve of the Geneva show - The non existent 2+2 gets mentioned but the new Roadster variant does not.

Secondly £40k is not the mid point in the current range, £70k is.

Thirdly it would be difficult to envisage a £40k car on the Aero chassis. (It could be on the trad chassis I guess, but that seems difficult to envisage, mind you MH could weave his magic and prove me completely wrong)

CM was talking about it quite openly about it so there is little doubt that the Autocar report is correct. Whilst he would confirm that it would not have the BMW V8, he would not advise what engine it would have? There have been rumours in the past of Morgan using a Toyota diesel engine on a new model, but this has been unconfirmed.

Like you I think the price point of £40k is unlikely for a 2+2, see the Evora for a more likely price point.

Hmmm.

2+2 = +4 ???

More likely it is a four-seater for the US market , but over there they cannot claim that the rear seats are big enough for adults, hence the rear seats are for children.

Hopefully it will be classified for 4 adults in Europe.

Harald

Hmm, much as I'd love it to, I can't see this car sitting 4 adults. Look at any sports coupe on the market with decent performance with 2 door 4 seats that isn't based on a mass produced saloon and fits 4 adults.

There aren't many, and they are all expensive..

Ferrari 612
Maserati Granturismo
Nissan GTR (ok it is "cheap" at 55k, but it's built in numbers by giant Nissan)
Bentley Contonental GT.

I'd love an Aeromax 2+2 thats like a futuristic Buggati Royale, but I doubt it will cost 40k¬

So assuming it's not an Aero chassis, then it's a 'new' trad chassis - given the cost of developing a new chassis that complies with regs, have Morgan done a deal to buy a chassis from somewhere perhaps?

Perhaps 1/2 & 1/2 between 2 seater and 4 seater trad body - i.e. looks more 2 seater at the rear, but not as much room as a 4 seater... Just an idea

Cheers,

jeep wranglers?