Interesting Lorne - the angle you present is one I would not really have considered. Perhaps the Morgan buying fraternity is swayed by 'Special Editions'. Being someone involved in marketing I've always regarded them with healthy derision!
One other thing, which started in the early 90's and continues to this day which I think is probably also having a pronounced effect - the "MX5 effect".
The 90's saw the MX-5 rise triumphant, the MGF become the best selling (I bought one!) roadster in the UK. Toyota, BMW and Mercedes all followed suit with more roadsters. Each is easier to own than a Morgan, more practical and is still fighting for a slice of the same market at the margins of morgan ownership. {There will always be those infatuated with Malvern spirit who want a Morgan becuase its a Morgan and I'm not for a minute suggesting they would defect of course!}
I guess what I'm getting at is back in the 80's, you could buy a caterham, or a TVR, porsche cabrio, ferrari mondial, or a Morgan plus 4/8 - or perhaps if you were feeling really zany a marcos!
Since the MX5 reinvented the roadster worldwide in the 90's roadsters for all budgets have become far more available, practical and easy alternative to car ownership.
For sure - this means there are probably now far more drop top drivers on the road than ever before. A good thing all round I'm sure we all agree.
On the other hand, it's made justifying that purchase of a Traditional British Morgan roadster, with the attendant foibles of a handmade product, just that bit harder for some of the more fairweather types who one would have stomached those issues as they were generally shared by the opposition.
The true extent of the brilliance of the Morgan company, is that unlike Marcos, TVR and many other low volume manufacturers who have gone to the wall since the birth of the mass produced sports car rennaissance, Morgan still has a healthy order book and a strong fan base and is looking forward to the future.
Perhaps it's just me, but I think this has been a pretty profound change in the cars we drive (particualrly in the UK) in the last 20 years, and this must have some impact.
Anyway I'm off for a :drink: cheers!
