Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) HOT TOPIC - End of traditional Morgans

I should add that I asked Morgan's James Gilbert about the Trad range and he told me there was no foreseen legislation that would kill it off.

I just wish it wasn't so expensive.

Did he say that? Well, I always admire optimists.

As for your previous post, I agree that getting young people with sufficient cash to consider a Morgan trad is a very hard sell. Most of the things that will turn them off - low grip, no power assistance for anything, no ABS, no ESP/ESC/DSC, etc, etc, - are precisely the things that attract me and others.

Re the Lotus M100, it was designed and engineered by John Miles and others for young drivers brought up on front-wheel drive. At the time of its launch, I was a middle-aged driver prejudiced to some extent against front-wheel drive (just as John Miles had been). I thought it was brilliant, especially on wet roads, and was sad that it failed.

Presumably Mr. Gilbert is well acquainted with the foreseen legislation and can give an authoritative answer.

His attitude to unforeseen legislation would be more interesting.

Open question...

Is there a new car for sale in the UK, with the same (or less) safety equipment (fitted) than a Trad?

Caterham 7, around the same level.

Aerial Atom....

That would be even more dangerous than the Ariel Atom! No parachutes supplied.

Re-reading my notes from the time I interviewed him in late October 2017 for my feature in MOG Mag, I can find no notes on this (now) significant statement which I've mentioned. This was because I'd concluded my interview for the purposes of the article (caravanning), so I had ceased to take notes as we were talking generally. So I can't give you a evidence of a direct quote, but that was the gist of it. I also asked about what was replacing +8 and he understandably wouldn't say what-so-ever. Again, no notes on that either. I'm not very good at this am I?

I'm hopefully test driving a M100 Elan a week on Friday.

I think there will be some very small volume car mechanism/legislation that will keep the trad design alive in the UK and possibly the US and make them exempt from some of the modern safety features

Exporting to the EU might be a future issue

Very small volume car manufacturing will be quite valuable to local economies and isnt a threat to mass market manufacturing

Enjoy!