....the thing gets under ones skin. ... feels something akin to affection for it, drives other stuff and find that they just don't cut it. .....like a well worn glove to slip in to and drive slow and drive fast. Being in the landscape in an open car is to connect with a set of sensations that does not compare with the cinematic experience of a saloon. Connecting with all the various and subtle senses of driving a Morgan is,for me, and maybe will be for you, something quite other. ... my current Plus Four and here I am into another long-term relationship.
I agree very much with your thoughts, meabh.
And thanks for your interesting write up, Tony.
It would be interesting to read a follow up by time, Tony, when you have made your first driving experiences and your relationship to her has been grown. I think you are right when searching for reasons why the emotional relationship can go very strong with a Mog, which indeed is a fact.
Beside the possible interactions like DIY or personalizing a Mog which can make the relationship closer, for me a relevant part is the driving experience itself. Just by driving and enjoying slow and fast drive styles, meanwhile I have a strong relation to her which may be enhanced by associated social events, e.g. that wonderful drive to XY, the last holidays which her - and her etc.
Some could think I could not got such a strong relation to my Morgan because it´s the fourth car in seven years. But that is not true because during this time I got closer and closer to the make and the very special and unique feeling which is given by every Morgan I drove.
In the end the special Morgan feeling may be the sum of all intensiveness which differs from any mass produced car, regardless of whether working on her, driving her with the joy of all sensations, the proudness of ownership, the awareness of living with something special and and. In my case proudness of ownership is triggered more by driving than by "brand value".
In my view an important point for MMC is keeping the big part of tradition to catch this emotions. (Yes they may need new and probably younger customers by time, but on the other hand this still young people have all the chance as well to discover values like tradition before they become Morgan customers).
I´m talking the last point (tradition) because a core value of the MMC brand is in my view the closeness: - to the environment, to the sensations, to the elements and last but not least to the car itself which, in this sense, is the "medium" to get closer to all the mentioned themes. Closeness is probably the key point of the brand positioning. In this logic Closeness to oneself (also in terms of happiness - appearing in short but intensive moments which can create a base for an everyday positive feel to her) is the higher emotional end benefit of living with a Morgan. This happiness can be reached much easier than e.g. with a good hifi system, because just by driving she can "force" to feel so.
The traditional way of the building process, handmade, and also the traditional technical aspects (ladder frame, wood etc) ensures, that the Closeness (to yourself) can be approached.
Therefore most of us Morgan lovers are immunized against attempts to be allured by some modern high tech cars which in general deliver a more remote feel, regardless how powerful or brand-image like such a car may be. Therefore those cars give reason to depart from oneself.
