Ok, I won't go into too much detail as this is a Morgan forum and I've only driven it the first weekend for about 200 miles.
General driving - The car is a pussycat to drive (I'm still at 5/10ths) it manoeuvres easily with the F1 gearbox, though I try to minimise any crawling and 1st gear stuff to prolong clutch life. Once moving, the steering is perfectly weighted with enough feel to tell every ripple in the road. Far more feel than in an Aero, probably a tad less than a GT3RS from what I've read. The gear changes are seamless and so smooth both up and down, manual or in the very able auto mode - just as long as you are less than half throttle. As you apply more right foot, they get quicker and more urgent, more later.
The Sound - The car growls on start up, and is loud, proper loud; after about 30 seconds it drops somewhat. As you start moving off it just growls slowly into the initial crescendo at about 3500 revs where the valves fully open and now as revs rise it just sounds like a screaming banshee. A high pitched flat crank sound (typical Ferrari 8) not a deep gruff English V8. More F1 than Bentley Blower. It's far more vocal than any Morgan I've owned.
The performance - Aero derivatives are quick, bloody quick. An Aero is about 1250 KG with 367bhp (or was it 376??). The 16M is 520bhp at about 1400kg
you do the Maths
my understanding was that the Aero will do 0-100mph in 10 seconds, the 16M is purported to do it in 7.6seconds and is just getting into its stride. I would add that part of the gain in time is the way it changes gear on full throttle, 0.065 seconds for a full on race mode change; it's like a rifle bolt
Handling - I don't think the Morgan would see which way it went, at least so with a better driver than me. I don't think
I will ever get to 8/10's driving it ..... Ever! It's flat and tight but not too crashy. I've been advised to run with race mode on the manettino and suspension on soft setting, and it does seem to offer the best compromise on our far from perfect roads.
However, you will note I have compared the two cars as they are what I know, but as you will also appreciate it's like comparing an apple and an orange. One is a track developed version of a sports car, lightened and more focused, a Ferrari GT3RS of sorts. The other is a hand built long nosed GT with a torquey engine and an auto box that will comfortably whisk you across countries.
My conclusion?
See below:
Not the perfect garage by a long chalk I'm sure, but a nice compromise
maybe early next week.
!!
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