My first thought - that's a bit sad.
But then think on it. Owning a family business comes with responsibilities, not least to your staff, and the place you're based.
(I write this as the 3d generation part owner of a £20m turnover, 200+ staff family business)
That responsibility includes the long term security of people's livelihoods.
Morgan have a significant commercial opportunity, but it's not in the UK - it's in Asia and America. But it will take a huge investment and deep pockets to succeed in those markets.
I wonder who owns those fields behind the factory? It would prove to be a very smart move by the town if they'd left Morgan room to expand, rather than being forced to relocate. They'll need the space to make more cars.
And Morgan faces a significant technical risk: they will have to manufacture hybrid and electric vehicles (or hydrogen, but that's a different conversation h/t PeterJ :-) )
The e3W will have taught Morgan many lessons about alternative power - not least that it's difficult to get right. Hybrid Morgans will need a stable, light platform to have effective power-to-weight ratios. A trad chassis would shake itself to bits and be too heavy to perform or meet emissions standards.
Morgan had no choice but to go down the Aero chassis route, and it will doubtless come to all models in the range. Think of the chassis as a single, variable component of all 4 wheel Morgans - the volume goes up, the cost comes down, and it becomes affordable in a 'widebody Plus 4'. And owners can have the choice of Traditional or Aero bodies, with a choice of power - 4 or 6, petrol, electric or hybrid.
The '30's styling is unique, whether you take in in Trad or Aero flavour - and that's incredibly valuable in a world where most cars could be debadged or rebadged, and you'd be hard pressed to tell one from the other. Porsche manage it... I'm not sure any other manufacturer does. (Maybe Lamborghini, but hell they're brutal).
The +6 shows that you can have traditional styling on a modern platform. Morgan will need to learn how to look after their heritage, and the customers who embody it - looking at how Aston Martin were developed there's every reason to think that'll happen.
Will
