Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms 0% Finance for a new Plus Four!

It hurts to hear that given how much I love the Aero and it being the last brave leap the company made. It also illustrates the big issue. They are all in on this one.

I’m not sure if it will be the last brave step. The pininfarina model should be out later this year, I’m not sure how radical it will be but you never know. Alas it won’t be a v8.

Maybe it'll just be a few "Pininfarina" embroideries in the headrests. And a few little things changed on the car.

Jens ... like rhe 'Ghia' versions of Ford saloons back in the day ....would be good to see a genuine new take on the body ... not a modernised 'Trad-a-Like' but something distinct that stood on its own merits ... maybe something along the lines of an updated SLR that had classic lines rather than some Star-Wars collection of flaps and vents like a Lambo would sit better with the company ethos.

K

The prototype has already been spotted To be known as the Plus Four Plus, with additional design cues from the Fairthorpe Atomota.

Or somewhere on here you might find the thread for the GT that never got past some styling exercises - certainly prettier than the Fairthorpe

Despite all the negative, lets be more fair and say disparaging comments, no-one wishes anything other than the ongoing success of the company. Like other manufacturers, they are more interested in selling units out the door than supporting fully the new car customer base beyond in essence the warranty period. This is sometimes reflected in the level of spares support for older models eg window winder for Aeros etc.

There perhaps is one lesson in building product brand identity and rewarding a loyal customer base MMC could learn from is one important step Harley Davidson took in 1984, when they formed the Harley Owners Group (HOG) with its global membership split into regions with ride outs, special insurance and finance plans , national and international rallies, pins and membership badges. Free for the first year on buying a new car then annual subscription with news letters re-enforcing the brand and the collective body of membership etc.

Whilst there are many independent Harley clubs (in the same way there is Morgan Sports Car Club) there is a sense of greater involvement and connection with the factory through HOG membership than any other Harley club. MMC is certainly doing far more communication with its customer base (those who registered interest) its starting to promote guided tours, they already have meet ups at the factory, factory tours etc., its not that much of a step further to formalise it more into a factory sponsored club, which could be pretty much self financing and tap into a massive customer and enthusiast base with their messaging and direct link to the factory which so many Morgan owners have enjoyed in the past,.

Its only the price issue now Dave. I was very impressed by the Plus 4 I tried at Williams but since it would cost me much the same if not more than my current Ferrari is worth, the decision is easy. The Morgan is a damn good sports car but it isnt a Ferrari

There's nothing new in any of this, and even staying within Morgan it happened with the first 4 wheelers.The original M3W brigade are still, let's say "uninvolved" outside their community, and good on em really.' Pipe & Slippers owners wouldn't survive long in a classic M3W and neither would I. It's all relative.

Even within Morgan the various factions have nothing in common apart from branding, and that's why there is the M3W Club and the MSCC.. Maybe another factory sponsored CX "Club" might work, but the admin will be a royal pain in the arse. But multiple clubs for a single brand or model is a well trodden path.

I wish Morgan well, but they no longer sell the cars I want to own, and for me, that's the big deal. I want to sit in a car, think Wow! I need one of these. That hasn't happened for a very long time.

Howard, I suspect I could apply similar thinking to my current 991....? Not a faulty comparison to make, but I chose not to buy an aero8 tin top when the time came, and just kept my old Mog for the rare occasions when I might be able to enjoy it a tad...(-:

As for my thinking re Harley :-

My memory was never good and age has not improved things.... However I do remember perhaps back in the eMog days (?) that I too thought there were many comparisons between Harley and Morgan in terms of it`s evolving customer base, Thinking those who valued some measure if history, heritage, craftsmanship, and who perhaps preferred to be a little different... As best I remember Morgan did try to modernise and designed an entirely new body to more suit the trends of the time, but that was quickly binned and the Trad was thought to be the way forward... Apparently according to some it was the US market that kept the MMC going for a number of years when times were difficult, for which I for one am grateful at my Mog was not built till the mid eighties.. (-:

It does seem that the MMC may indeed have taken a take a leaf out of Harley`s book as circa the nineties, it seemed that the MMC may have set out to stamp their ownership on the Morgan badge/logo, and the actual outline of the trad. I think at the time Harley were employing lawyers a plenty to stop folk using their brand on anything, I think they may even have played a part in shutting down HOG magazine in the UK..? I think Harley may have educated many in the industry in terms of the value of branding and the protection thereof..Even the BMW club in the UK was not allowed to make use of the company`s logo on club literature etc.etc.

Some might determine that Harley went to some lengths to exploit their ownership of the brand.... Harley aftershave anyone...? The list of Harley related merchandise seems huge..?

However it does indeed seem that there are quite a few similarities betwixt Morgan and Harley, try beaming up the Harley link below, should you have any interest in creating your own comparisons, though I note that there is no mention of the Aermacchi link up in an attempt to get into lighter bike sales... I also admit to being a bit of a Harly fan in my yoof, having written to Fred Warr the then only Harley dealer in the UK in the sixties. Why a Harley in the sixties, perhaps as they were so very different back then, and perhaps the same sort of thinking got me interested in Morgans in the nineties..(-:

Oh the link...

How Harley-Davidson Is Killing Itself (roadandtrack.com)

Whadaya fink...?

I sure hope Morgan survive, though I depend on other than the MMC to provide me with any parts I might need to maintain my Morgan...