Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Aero platform for all Morgans ?

In my opinion a good part of the cost of current production is in the methods used.

To give a little history the demise of the British (and to a large degree the Italian) motorcycle industry was the failure to modernise production techniques. Take the crankcases for example: the crankcases for the Britsh bikes were line bored in pairs which then went on to the assembly of other components. It was impossible to take one half of a crankcase and assemble it with any other, it had to have its exact mate. The Japanese, on the other hand, had such a high degree of accuracy that any half could be matched with any other half. This is called repeatability.

Now we all know that no body part from one Morgan can be fitted to another. In this day and age, and even 40 years ago, this is ridiculous. Mudguards, doors, bonnets, etc should be pre-cut and on the shelf. The body should be jigged in the door openings and with the angles and and distances of the firewall to the chassis such that every car is exactly the same. Then instead of cutting the parts to fit by eye they are simply lifted off the shelf and fitted. Too many parts are cut and fitted by eye without even being measured.

A move to slightly more modern techniques would be a big move to reduce the coach building costs and compensate for the increased cost of moving to an aero type platform.

To my mind the way forward would be to move production to the Aero chassis, the extra space would be welcomed by those of the longer or larger persuasion. Ultimately, depending on legislation, the Aero mudguards (flush fitting lights) could be used on the trad (currently Plus 8) style cockpit.

It would not surprise me if the days of the current trad doors are numbered too. The future will be drophead coupes, or in other words Aero style doors.

The engines are more likely to be BMW I feel. The hints are already there. Probably a straight 6 will replace both the V8 and the V6.

For reasons I don't understand Morgan did not want to put the Ford V6 in the Aero tub. I suspect this relates to the cost of incorporating airbag and ABS systems with the Ford ECU and they did not want to simply fit the existing Roadster power plant and gearbox to the Aero tub.