Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) If not a Morgan??

Oddly enough Ken, I think you may be right..!

"Character" has always been difficult to define, but maybe it involves a higher than average input from the user, whether this is mechanical or driving I can't say, but maybe it's something that makes you slightly wary or demands a little higher respect?

It's hard to describe a Toyota Camry as characterful for example.

I guess it's the definition of imperfection that's important..

Always good fun on a wet & filthy evening..

Er , how about the old 911's pre '90's with the nasty habit of not exiting corners and hitting the scenery , now they were characterful ! So maybe its that characterful cars have to be driven whereas perfect cars don't !Scary in degrees of versus not scary at all ?

So a characterful car is one that is potentially dangerous?

To my mind, 'character' just means a set of features about the way a car performs that differentiates it from other cars. Some cars (Land Rovers, old Minis, Morgans) have characteristics which are unique, others don't. Often these characteristics are formed from aspects which are not 'perfect'.

Imperfection is only desirable if you desire it. Morgans are imperfect, therefore if you desire imperfection then a Morgan is a good bet. If, on the other hand, one is seeking a perfect car, then one probably shouldn't start with a Morgan.

It's entirely possible however to buy a car which is pretty much perfect. What's more, you can buy perfect cars suited to pretty much any application you care to mention, and they can be had for a great deal less money than any Morgan. These are the cars that sensible people purchase, and they have great fun with them.

Many cars are not only perfect, they are also capable of performance levels which any normal human being is completely incapable of exploiting on public roads.

Frequently this excess performance is accompanied by a symbol on the bonnet, the shape and colouring of which serves to differentiate the cars from others which would be pretty much indistinguishable but for the presence of a different symbol. These cars cost more.

To my mind it's a strange state of affairs when unusable performance and the symbol on the bonnet are considered desirable and command a premium!

My tuppence worth; had a test drive in a Boxster a while ago, thought it was very competent and dull as ditchwater. About the same time I test drove a Z4 3.0, found it less dull mainly because it wasn't as competent but also found that it felt like a larger, softer car but with out the practicality of four seats and a large boot so of no interest to me. Tested and then purchased an S2000 which in many ways was much further from perfect than the BMW or the Porsche but it really felt like a good toy; you really had to drive it and be right on top of it if you wanted to drive at all hard. Great fun.
Three years later I sold the S2000 and got the M3W. It is much less competent than any of the first three with much lower build quality, much worse handling, far less grip and practicality, costs far more to run, generally has so many more faults that it would be difficult to list them all and yet, yes, it has more character by far than any of them.
Conclusion; perfection does not make for character and it is largely the faults in a car that do make for character.
On the other hand if I had to do 30,000 miles a year in just one car I would not want it to have character; I'd want it to be comfortable, efficient, utterly reliable, frankly bland and I would stil;l have the M3W for fun.

Aged design isn't really an imperfection.

Most classic cars provide driver involvement both behind the wheel and in the garage which modern cars cannot do.

It's not about performance or safety. It's about driver satisfaction. If you want the bells and whistles that's fine.

But classic enthusiasts want more than that. Aside from a few quirky low volume producers modern cars are very competent but that's not enough for some.

Imperfect cars are much more fun ! Perfect ones can be quite dull !

What an interesting range of views.

Referring to Chambers again, one of many definitions of character is " the aggregate of peculiar qualities which constitutes personal or national individuality"

There it is; everyone's right.

Happy motoring whatever you choose to drive.

A Z4 with four seats ?
That's a new one on me.

I believe it might also go by the model designation:
M3 cabriolet.