Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms The Decline of the Trad !!!

Absolutely! There are plenty of trads to go round, and they'll be building them for a while yet. The issue doesn't bother me in the slightest, as I already have a trad and I shan't be selling it. That's why I'm all in favour of MMC making loads of Aero models and MTWs and maybe cutting back a bit on trads.

One of the reasons I like the MTW so much is that it seems an admirable response to the gathering clouds of anti-sports car sentiment. Easy for some politician to stand up and criticise "gas-guzzling" 4.8 litre V8s, but much harder to do so for a light and simple little 3-wheeler.

You'll be sounding like that chappie we don't mention next, hoping to raise the value of his car

As Graham and Tim has already said, fulfilling the future legislation is the key to sell cars...and then also make sure the outcome is spiced up in a nice shape and enjoyable performance.

My guess is that the new Plus 8 are showing the way into the future for the trads. I should not be to surprised if the bonded (and "chicken riveted") aluminum chassie also in a down scaled version will find its way into the 4/4, Plus 4 and Roadster range in a not to distant future. After checking out the Plus 8 platform from a very close distance at the factory visit (inkluding the suspension set-up) I have to say that i am a bit impressed. OK, safety and comfort might not be a trad-buyers first priority but if it was already built in into the construction I should find it as a bonus.

I am very happy too see the edge vehicle engineering knowledge you are building and developing in England at the moment (in lots of companies). In Sweden we are unfortunately shutting down some creative engineer companies as SAAB for instance, a big and for the region crucial loss in knowledge and brain drain.

A scaled-down Aero chassis with a lightweight trad body and a smallish low-emission 4 cylinder engine, say 1800cc and around 150bhp? Hmmm...

...you know what I was just saying about never selling my trad? Well, for that, I could well be tempted :-) :-)

How would you scale down an Aero.....there small enough as it is, i accept you could fit a smaller power plant, but i cant see were you could go from there. !!!!

I'm with you, Tim -- I wouldn't consider selling my plus4 for anything less!!!

Scaling down (and developing) a platform has very little to do with size of the finished car. More to adapt the construction (plus 8 solution in this case) to the different weight, load and bhp/torque figures. When developing a new plattform it is also a golden opportunity to take a step away from the traditional "component+bracket+fitting - thinking" and think more "integrated" and clever solutions (exhaust, tank, engine, gearbox, glass, being a part of the load carrying constuction). Resulting in a lighter and faster to build/service car...To do all this and to still keep the heritage alive and the "vintage" trad enthusiasts will be the great challenge. Ohhh glorious future

+1 Then and only then

I think the size of the new PLus 8 is dictated by the size (bulk) of the motor and the fact that they could use an existing platform in the design.

Many Trad buyers like the smaller, leaner shape of the existing 4/4, +4, and Roadster but, as we can see from the interview with CM there is a problem finding the space for airbags etc.

I suspect future versions will be moving towards the Ford EcoBoost engines with EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) to achieve Euro 6 homologation.

There are already 1.6 litre EcoBoost engines with max power ranging from 150 PS (110 kW) to 182 PS (134 kW) at 5700 rpm and 2.0 litre engines with max power from 203 PS (149 kW) to 240 PS (176 kW) not to mention the 3.5 litre V6 with power up to 365 hp.

It would not surprise me at all to see a future re-design of the trad using Aero chassis technology (including ABS and "modern" suspension) and allowing space for airbags in order to comply with USA safety legislation. If things did not change every so often Morgan would still be making 3 wheelers like they did in the beginning, and nobody would want that.

The problem with adopting a chassis like the Aero is cost...the Plus 8 was fine as all it uses is a very slightly modified Aero chassis, so no development costs. I can't see how Morgan could sell the likes of a 4/4 with a similar albeit narrower alloy bonded chassis and similar Aero suspension, at a reasonable price. I don't know what the margins are on the traditionals but the current ladder chassis and basic suspension must quite a low cost and I could imagine the price of a 4/4 rising by £10K- £15K and taking it into a completely unrealistic price bracket.