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

There has been much talk in the Malvern Arms and the forum about the future of the classic chassis and the 4 seater.
The new classic +8 and the aero give 2 aspects of what is possible on the aero chassis.
Can you see a future for a 4/4, +4, roadster and 4 seater on an aero or aero derivative chassis?

I really can't see demand for such a diverse range of engines and a four seater, but who knows.
If we get an aluminium tubbed trad on a current trad footprint I would certainly try one out, but if it's bigger than the current trads I'm not interested.
And pricing is critical, and I suspect it will be more than current trads. So by all those measures I doubt it would be the car for us, but who knows?

I do think that the Ali tub is the way to go.

This might be controversial - but for todays modern buyer a better option - and to do away with Sliding pillar too!

The Trad body shape must however stay as it is!!

Lotus, Aston, Jaguar etc all do glued extruded alloy platforms with multi variant body types on it now. It's the future but it does also mean a lot more statutory write offs after a prang which push premiums up, although less I suspect than those with a carbon tub.
Would you really want a stiff alloy tub and adjustable double wishbone suspension suspension though?
It would just be a Lotus/Aston with a quaint body.
I like that my Morgan feels pre-war and can't be pushed as hard as my Lotus it's what sets it apart and gives it it's appeal, it is the very essence of "trad", and I like that my Lotus is stiff and handles like it's on rails, it's the essence track day fun.
Both are superb fun in totally different but equally valid formats.
Vive la difference

The costs will be high

A fine idea in theory, but could they get the production costs low enough to make such a proposition attractive to buyers?

The existing Aero range (even the Aero Plus 8) are eye-wateringly expensive, and the BMW V8 can't be a massive part of that cost over and above a 4 or 6 cylinder unit.

If they can get the list price of an aluminium platform car in under the £40 - 45k price point, which I would think they need to do in order to snag the majority of trad buyers, I'd be amazed.

As we have seen with other Aero models, they might be wonderful cars but the demand just doesn't seem to be there to sustain a production of 10 or 12 cars a week.

What do the aero boys think?
A look at the USA Ford Mustang website gives an interesting snapshot of engine prices.
The cheapest is 3.7 V6 as in the roadster.
Then the 2.3 EcoBoost a derivative of the +4 GDI.
Then the 5 litre V8 some $10000 more.
Appreciate there will be other differences but power outputs are not that far apart.

of coarse they could always Manufacturer a Plastic Tub.....now that would scare you's

I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole, mind you I haven't liked anything after about the mid-eighties anyway.

Assuming that a radshape chassis is going to be the way forward, I am wondering what that will do to the value of trad trads...
Will we, of the ladder chassis persuasion, be holding an increasingly valuable classic?