This update from MMC was received today: -

Morgan Motor Company - Eva GT Update – December 2011

Please let me start this email by apologising for the delay in contacting you regarding the EvaGT.

During the past 6 months, Morgan has secured funding from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to allow it to participate in and manage a £1.4 million collaborative project to use revolutionary materials in a chassis application. The project named MagMog consists of 5 partners who are all experts in their relevant fields. The project partners are:

· Morgan Motor Company Ltd – Lead Partner in the project

· Penso Consulting Ltd – a design house with expertise in several premium sportscar designs.

· Superform Aluminium – the current supplier of Morgan Motor Company wings and body panels, Superform have the forming knowledge required to make this project succeed.

· Coventry University – Specialists in panel joining and fatigue testing

· Magnesium Elektron UK – the world’s largest manufacturer of Magnesium sheet, M.E. have unrivalled knowledge in all areas of Magnesium usage.

The MagMog chassis development project started on November 1st 2011. The project aims to develop appropriate technologies to enable magnesium alloy to be used as the primary material in the construction of a body-in-white structure for the EvaGT. This will improve structural performance at a reduced comparative weight. Magnesium is the lightest structural metal available, 30% less dense than aluminium and is the eighth most abundant elements globally. Due to its inherent properties, use of sheet magnesium for vehicle structural applications will require hot-forming, increasingly being adopted by premium car manufacturers as it can produce larger and more complex panels. Morgan Motor Company intends to provide the initial route to market by adopting the developed technologies on its next generation of premium sports car, the EvaGT.

This project, along with Morgan Motor Company’s desire to exceed the standard safety requirements for the EvaGT has resulted in the planned launch date being delayed. We now intend to launch the EvaGT at the 2014 Geneva Motorshow. While this delay is undesirable and inconvenient, we have taken the decision to pursue these projects to ensure the EvaGT is at the forefront of both environmental and safety technology.

Yours Sincerely,

Charles Morgan
Managing Director
Morgan Motor Company

Can someone with more technical expertise tell me how they will get around it being inflammable in a crash?

I am not too worried about that,with all the wood Morgan usually already uses in their cars

They are talking about Magnesium alloy.In aviation magnesium is still used as part of aluminium alloy,I think this was to improve the welding capabilities of the aluminium.Again,if i remember well from my schooldays,it was coded with a number started with 6XXX.

But I assume that the involvement of the university has to do with these type of questions.

Rudolf.

It sounds a fascinating and challenging project for MMC. Good luck to all the involved parties.

It sounds a fascinating project.....let's hope we get progress reports.
The alloy used in the traditional wings is a mix of aluminium, magnesium and manganese... Type 5083.

As said already looks to be a very interesting project.
Seems "patience is a virtue" !

Still good MMC declared it now , normally delays happen 1 month before release

Andy

Unless you drive it through a giant shredder, it shouldn't be inflammable. All metals want to revert to their ores or oxides - steel/iron rusts, ally and mag do the same but at higher speeds especially when finely divided. Sheet metal and cast shapes should be fine.

At least you'd know straight away, unlike the new Chevrolet Volt which keeps you guessing for three weeks after a crash and then goes up........

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/07/house-to-hold-investigative-hearings-on-chevy-volt-fire-silence/

Maybe they forgot to disconnect the battery......

When I was a kid I got hold of some WW2 aircraft scrap pieces that were of an aluminium magnesium alloy. In an ordinary fire I could not get it to ignite.

It seems racing motorcycles however were a different thing. In the early 50's Duilio Agostini was racing at Monza on a factory 350 Moto Guzzi with a dustbin fairing. Guzzi used a very high magnesium alloy for many parts to reduce weight. It seems the mechanics had not properly fitted a fuel hose and a quantity of fuel leaked and was trapped in the bottom of the faring under the motor. When it exploded into flames Duilio calmly rode the bike off the track, dumped it, and then rolled on the ground to put out his flaming leathers. Fortunately the burns were not severe but when the fire was over all that remained of the bike was the frame, a bucket full of bolts and screws etc and the crankshaft, cam, and various bits of gearbox. All of the alloy and rubber parts had been consumed in the fire!

Sounds a bit like the results of the fire at the National Motorcycle Museum (just down the road for me ) that happened a few years ago.