What a great thing hindsight is. I must admit the CX is an exciting development that should have arrived much earlier.
An open question.
I thought it did?
2000 saw the introduction of a brand new next generation car, new everything, the V8 Aero. However it did not replace the Trad, it augmented it. I would argue the limited budget that the business could apply to development was 1) not enough for full development, even twenty years later 2) Spent well considering how little it was. I love mine, warts and all.
However the recent change to the CX platform, with the removal of the trad altogether, you could be naughty and say it was Aero Gen 2 and all bets were placed on it in a modern world with modern customer targets etc. InIn at this point see an undervalued asset and believe they can build and flip I would imagine. Not meant in a rude manner at them as that is their stated business. Does it benefit the asset, a different question.
I have said before that the current climate (legislative, desire, ecoBEV etc) means a tiny company has a severe challenge, I am surprised and more than a little impressed that they survived this long (TVR etc failed). It was why I mentioned Alpina who had many benefits over Morgan through the whole donor vehicle model they used. They have folded with what is in front of them.
Yet at the same time we see multiple new dozens of car companies springing up to fill the BEV void. Outside the vast mass of new Chinese companies we also look to Fisker (not the first time) Tesla etc. It feels like an opportunity lost somewhere. But also a result of the limited resources.
If I had to boil it down to a basic what could/should/would happen next?
They get sold to a larger company that can offer resources to underpin
Move to BEV drivetrain in a fun manner, not just a slab of battery with no handling fun.
Expand their market reach to drive numbers and revenue up to provide that future forward investment model.
Provide broader range of up to date engineering which can be leveraged easily not cut'n'shut.
If I had to think of a comparable it would be Lotus over the last ten years. Now I fear it is going to become a brand front for yet more of Geelys "its not a taxi in a smart suit, honestly" range of lardy platforms with a new badge on the nose. The future Lotus models will have little if any association with old/traditinal Lotus values.
My worry? This would result in a total breach of the traditional Morgan/MMC situation and so I would say as a result MMC would be gone (or sold to one of the people who could perpetuate the Trad bubble. I have not heard how Caterham are doing under the ownership of the new Japanese company but I bet they have a plan. It will become an interesting thing to compare them moving forwards. This leaves the Aero in an even worse position as well.
There are a number of companies that are brilliant at keeping a historic fleet alive, they could be involved. Rimmer Bros, John Craddock etc.
I think that model would allow the Trad Morgan/MMC world the chance to move forwards as the current MMC migrates south for winter? I don't think I have heard anything in recent times from the newer MMC management about the plan, is there somewhere I would be best to look ? I thought I heard that MSCC held regular meetings?
I wonder what LJK Setright would have made of this mess. I bet it would have been a good read.
