charles has invited Max Cooper to drive an Aeromax on his Gumball, starting this saturday
(think it'll be the Ass though)

link

Max is driving a C8 laviolette spyder I believe, unless plans have changed - thread on PH about it.

Still at least the man has some class as his Spyker is Orange...

check link; he ditched the Spyker

Yup the guy has taste............. Must admit, the Spyker looks fab though as well (colour notwithstanding )

Ahhh - interesting...
Mind you what what I've heard if Max says he ditched it, then it probably means they said "you were never having it in the first place" - or something, allegedly.

Personally, I don't understand the tie-in, nor do I see value the association.

The track record of the Gumball is quite poor when it comes to behaviour on public roads. The Aeromax production has stopped and all the cars are sold; therefore, I struggle to see the value in this product placement (barring brand exposure but I would question the relevance of the target market).

I can see what the Gumball gain but do not understand where the benefit is to Morgan.

Must admit I agree with you Simon. The Gumball in particular has a pArticular 'association' that I do not subscribe to.

I am not averse to fast driving but driving fast (and/or dangerously) for the sake of 'look at me aren't I clever taking no-one elses well-being into consideration' is abhorrent.

I witnessed it once on the Rabbit Run personally, and in fairness to the organizers it was virtually immediately quashed and everyone moved on.

I am not holier than thou, for those that know me, but the Gumball is a step too far for me and in essence shhould be for Morgan.

Now for the 'however'........ However, I am assuming the car enters will be an Aeromax SS and not the run out original Max.

I am also assuming the car has been lent by the factory and as they only have SS demonstrators that will fit. And thus I think to view an SS alongside all the other supercars WILL expose Morgan to a younger more affluent client and of course to the USA. I would guess CM knows Max from a previous entry to a Gumball in the states in an Aero? Working from memory here.

BtG, Tony Hawk drove and a Morgan Aero 8 Series 1 in one of the early Gumball Rallys, as did Charles Morgan iirc.

To a degree, I can understand the company having an earlier association with the Gumball franchise as (A) it hadn't received such negative press and (B) it was presented in a much 'friendlier' and less antisocial manner - almost fun, light hearted and in a retro pastiche way (the live version of Burt Reynolds in The Cannonball Run. Obviously the bad press, deaths caused by participants and 'Too Much Money and Not Enough Sense' brigade have changed the dynamic drastically (imho) and therefore, Gumball 3000 2010 has a very different aura and connotation than Gumball 1999.

Furthermore, if you are correct, and the product placement is a Morgan Supersports and not an Aeromax, then surely the Gumball franchise would use the correct name and stock photos?

If the company view this as a PR / product placement exercise, and value the association, then surely getting the car name correct (and images) in the press release is essential to maximise their perceived benefit?

Fair point, however if you looked at the link the photo shown wasnt even a production Aeromax but Erics one off original!!

Dear Gumball 3000 Limited,

We are pleased to grant you the use of our Morgan XXX.

In return for use our car we expect XXX.

Here is the exact specification, description and images that we will expect you to use in your press release, and further media releases, pertaining to our car.

For an on behalf of...

(In other words BtG, personally and if I had a vested interest in the company promoting the product, I wouldn't be happy from a commercial perspective. All imho and perhaps I am both oversimplifying and missing the point)

Given the antics of the Gumball lot the very rare aeromax will may soon become even rarer.

Just seen a picture of the Gumball max on Max's Blog. Silver car Reg number was AR08MMC, anyone know the car?

Does someone we know have his car in for servicing?

Nothing much to add to this thread that hasn't been said , but here's my 2p-worth. Firstly however, AR08MMC is safely tucked up in our garage awaiting our return. SGT just in the process of replacing the battery, so hopefully a new one will hold its charge a bit better.

Turning to the Gumball, I can understand Charles's involvement in the early ones as it did not have the poor reputation that it now enjoys, and it could be seen as a vehicle to change perceptions about the Morgan marque.

As Simon has said with all the AeroMaxes already sold, it is now really an exercise in futility and I really don't get the brand associations. We haven't been told what the average age of the AeroMax buyer was, but I am sure it will have been well over 50 and consequently, not really the boy-racers who may get turned on by the Gumball with all it's reckless speed associations and even a couple of deaths.

It really makes one wonder whether there is a strategic brand plan for the Aero model, but if there is it looks like the essence of the brand is about to follow the Bentley GT-model and Aero's will be driven by footballers, divas and the like in future.

If this is true it will be a real diminution of the Morgan Aero marque; quite sad!

would this be Charles himselve???

love the green!!!!



Max is driving a Max , no SS

which one are you ? footballer , diva , or other?

some Scottish lamb-farmer (female) thinks I'm a hooligan

Beg to differ, if you look at this youtube clip Gumball 2010 5.26 in, its an SS.

Like others, for me there is to much bad press that follows the Gumball, we will have to wait and see how well behaved they are!!

Looks like both an SS and a aeromax taking part.



Last few seconds of this footage, and at 40 seconds below.




Just been asked by my 15 year old why MMC would want to be involved.

Aeromax number is VX57EZO

somehow, I know the difference between an ASS and a Max
PJH in the brown jacket had a chat with Max,

Well sleuthed Asbo!

VX57 EZO is the first AeroMax prototype which is still owned by MMC and usually driven by Charles. Has he entered in his own right, does anyone know?

What a bizarre decision on the part of Morgan MC.

This is the type of stupidity I associate with the Gumball ~ nothing akin to the elegance and grace of a Mog.

[there is swearing in this video so it is NSFW]

in Belgium they behaved well!!!!
and all petrolheads here love it
big diff with the UK it seems....

http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9240.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9243.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9245.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9250.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9260.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9261.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9264.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9265.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9277.jpg
http://pj.snoobonline.com/2010%20Gumball%203000/_MG_9278.jpg

such a great car. Had a chat with max indeed, I asked him if the gumball will return to belgium next year and he said "maybe, and if we return we will stay in belgium for the night, but nothings sure yet".

I sure hope so, I love the gumball rally. One of the highlights of the year for me and if I EVER get the chance to take part in it, I wouldn't doubt for half a second.

did put in alot of effort to shoot the car to car pics. I was driving but wanted to take the pictures out the window, so my passenger was ordered to steer the car while I adjusted speed with my feet

At factory yesterday and saw the sitckerd up supersports..

Can anyone tell me...

1. Is this the one and only prototype - or is this a new preproduction car?

2. If it is a new preproduction car / development ahck maybe - the interior looks odd - seems to be some old shabby bucket seats in there?

Also I saw the last of the Aeromaxes - all going to the US on show and display regs. I assume that means supersports production starts sometime soon....

could you see any difference on the A'max for the US,
wouldn't mind selling mine in the US if I want to part from it
(can't imagin that, but you never know)

They have been there for quite awhile - I posted a photo of the 11 back in March.

Steven, the US cars are the same as the other Aeromax's - they are going over on the Show & Display law; therefore, they are not homologated for road use.

The update on the US cars was taht the 'paperwork' was in this week - so the cars will be on their way shortly. At least a couple were still in the finishing shop geting things 'fettled' - no idea what though.

Would have loved to stay at the factory and chat to someone yesterday about forthcoming 'stuff' but everyone appeared in a hurry for some reason, so I toddled off the get the 3 hour train back to london.

Hope to pick the S4 up in around 2 weeks following a few minor tweaks...

When did the factory start 'fettling'? I thought they left that to the owners!

Probably just some last minute polishing or something

Do you mean the SuperSports Simon, as if so I'm not sure that is right, my understanding is that they will be homologated in the USA and Denis Glavis' MorganWest site says the same, i.e. "To be US Legal!"

If you look at the photo of my SS chassis you can see that the fuel tank is in a different position to both the AeroMax and the prototype SuperSports and is similar/or the same as the Series IV, that is right behind the driving seats.

Hi Brian, I know Morgan are homologating the Morgan SuperSports for the US market; however, I was under the impression that this wouldn't retrospectively affect the Aeromax?

Sorry Simon, re-read it and guessed I'd got the wrong end of the stick. AeroMax's can't be homologated retrospectively to my understanding, hence the use of the so-called Gates law exemption, because of the fuel tank position.

I heard the same when I asked what made the prototype op the SS not yet "road-ready": seats&seat-belt and fuel-tank not US-reg

just for the record: how many Aeromax's for the US
I think I see 8 of them on the pictures

There are 11 or 12 Aeromaxes for the US - all on Show and Display (Gates) exemptions.

The factory did confirm while I was there that the SuperSports is confirmed homologated for the US so it's all steam ahear to start selling via dealers there.

Should mean that the target sales number is significantly easier to hit, and given the pund / dollar at the moment, it makes the car a significant bargain compared to the offer price on the Aeromax originally despite it being more expensive in £...

...as I said to Brian, no more drinking and posting! Or at least read the thread

see YA on track, 22th july GOODWOOD
and NO, I'm not affraid of the picknicktable on the alu-mounts

Are you booked on the day?

yep,
will make topic,
Bosh might come, Ray1550 might pass to say hello and have a laugh with our driving-skills

As per my comment on the other thread, this could be a good day out.

Will definitely be there, I have some champagne to pick up

only ONE bottle, but one that's rewarding enough isn't it????

I thought it was one bottle per copy of Evo?

not even 10cl/evo