I wonder how much time has been given to the study of if there is any trend in new sales post an article being written on one of the Morgan cars.
I am no expert and I am unaware of any studies. From this perch, I have seen little or negligible effect from good articles and (hopefully) the same lack of effect from bad ones (though the latter is obviously impossible to detect. Save possibly in 2000/2001 [ugh!]))
On magazine advertising, I do have copes of the ads that Morgan has placed over the years, either to advertise the product or massage their image. Frankly, MMC advertising has never been extensive enough to make a mark or change an image. The MMC has never been able to afford an advertising budget that would make a difference. MMC ads are more whimsical than real but for the same reason, the ads over the years are great fun to look at. They say much more about the era they were created and the people in charge than any sales effect. I enjoy the photo ads featuring the then young Lady Colwyn (Peter Morgan's daughter) entering a +4+ or Matthew Parkin dashing up a hill in a Roadster.
For decades, it has been Auto Shows that can garner sales or inquiries and they are the traditional MMC selling venue, still used religiously today. (i.e. Geneva) However, the results are never certain and "show" orders are not always solid.
However, though Morgan is a very small company, it has, for me at least, a profile far higher than its size. As well, the last few years have seen the selling abilities of existing owners massively supplemented by the internet and the buying of the retiring baby boomers. In my opinion (and a glance at the figures), all this is more than sufficient to keep sales buoyant and even rising IF the MMC makes the products wanted. That is what happened in 2006.
As an aside, Auto Shows can produce some lovely anecdotes. Peter Morgan had quite a few! Here is one of those he wrote me.
It was in the early sixties (a very hard time for the firm);
"I was alone at the Motor Show in Earl's Court, London. A young man came to the stand. I was rather tired in the late afternoon and he started to telling me that they (Morgan) 'are going to change the engine, modify the rear suspension, redo the brakes and generally go over the whole car. He said he knew it to be true because "Peter Morgan told me". I, being tired, did not disappoint the fellow by informing him who I was. He walked off with a broad smile.
Peter Morgan"Lorne
