From the responses, we are obviously creatures of the business culture we grew up immersed in. MORE IS BETTER. Yet, this company made huge profits on no marketing, far less production and sales for decades, up to just a few years ago.
I don't agree Lorne.
I haven't heard anyone say "MORE IS BETTER" but what I believe many of us are concerned about is that Morgan are falling further and further off the buyers-radar.
I would challenge anyone to take a picture of a Morgan to a busy town in the UK and stop people at random to ask them to name the car in the picture; furthermore, in what year was it last produced? I could be incorrect but my feeling (which mirrors others ownership experience) is that few potential customers have any idea what the car is or that it is still in production.
If the desired result is to increase waiting lists, surely we need to supplement the customer base with new owners. And if few know the car is for sale, how are they going to purchase one?
This isn't about increased supply as I believe Enzo Ferrari had it nailed when he said, "I would always like to make one less can than I can sell" but surely raising the profile of a car to a level where people know it is an option in the market place is darn important?
It is my perception, at times, that there are a niche of Morgan owners who believe they are the champions of the Holy Grail that is an MMC car and it suits them just fine not to have the profile of the product raised. On the other hand, you have new owners who are enthusiastic about the car and want to shout about it from the roof tops to all and sundry.
I fall into the camp that says yes it's great you bought a Morgan 20+ years ago and that you still own it; however, that isn't going to help the company survive and thus new, younger, customers are needed. A loyal community of owners is super but not if they haven't spent money with you (the business) for an extended period of time. Few businesses can survive (if any) when loyal customers aren't spending and new customers aren't being converted.
Raise profile, attract new owners. If that means making more cars, fine but not to a level where cars are sitting unsold at dealers for long periods of time because that helps no one.
