I am writing this review on one of my favorite car that is AERO 8. The sheer vintage design and the raw power it hold beneath that bonnet always amazed me as how great the company is which is producing this beauty which is hand crafted from Scratch. The Aero 8 was also tested on the Top Gear show, by my Idol “Jeremy Clarkson” ( I will write a review on him soon). And he gave Rave reviews about the Aero 8. Also, I am writing this review under BMW as it provides the engine for Aero 8.
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History of the Company:
Morgan Aero 8 is manufactured by “The Morgan Motor Company “ which is the worlds oldest privately owned car manufacturer, being run today by Peter and Charles Morgan, son and grandson respectively of the founder H.F.S. Morgan. The man who guided the destinies of the Morgan car for almost fifty years, H.F.S. Morgan, was born at Morton Jeffries Rectory, Herefordshire in 1881. He built the original Morgan, which was a three-wheeler, which was called ’’The Little Star”
The company is located deep in the British Midlands - in Worcestershire, England - the quite country town where it has been producing Morgan sports cars for enthusiasts since 1919. And yes Morgan’s are still built by hand in Malvern Link, as it used to do since its inception in 1919. The buyers are also invariably enthusiasts prepared to order a car from the company and wait several years for delivery. Such, is the goodwill of the company. The production output of the company stands at 11 cars per week. As the cars are carefully hand crafted from the scratch to suit the customers needs.
On the face of it Morgan cars do not seem to have changed over the years. 1968 was the year that the Plus 8 was launched. The powerful 184hp, ex-Buick, Rover engine meant that the bonnet had to be lengthened and widened. Although similar in style to the Plus 4 it was bigger all round. The Plus 4 and 4/4 continued to be produced and all three models were developed in the ensuing years. The 4/4 1600 was fitted with Ford’s 1600 engine from 1968 to 1981 when supplies dried up. Fiat’s twin-cam 1600 and 2-litre engines were then used. They were also used when the Plus 4 name was revived in 1985, finishing in 1988. The CVH engine was replaced with Ford’s 1.8 Zetec from 1993 onwards for the 4/4, with the Plus 4 having the Rover M16 and T16 engines. And then came the Aero 8, totally different but just as much fun, which is powered by the BMW’s 32-valve, 4.4-liter V8.
And AERO 8 I have covered in this review
THE MORGAN AERO 8
The new variant of the Aero 8 was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2000; incidentally Aero 8 is Morgan’s first all-new car to be launched in 64 years.
The development of the Aero 8’s drive train saw the partnership with BMW that not only means Morgan’s new super car is powered by one of the world’s most advanced power plants, but also that the Morgan development team was able to utilize BMW resources throughout the Aero 8 development project. This brought together a classic car company and a company, which is known to make cars with powerful engines.
The design of Morgan Aero 8 is based on GT2 racing car that competed in the 1997 GT Championship, and built of aluminum with the help of the latest in Alcan technology. High strength aluminum sections are glued and riveted together to form a ’’tub’’ that serves as the basic structure of the car and that too all cut and glued by hand.
ENGINE – THE HEART OF THE AERO8
The heart of the AERO 8 is the Engine. The engine is BMW’s 32-valve, 4.4-liter V8 featuring the VANOS variable inlet valve timing system, cruise control, on-board diagnostics, an immobiliser and drive by wire technology. This is the same engine BMW uses in the X5 SAV.
The engine is mounted in a cradle constructed from aluminum extrusions. This design is essential in giving the necessary strength and durability for crash safety. Incidentally Aluminum is also used in the manufacture of some of the braking and suspension units. The body panels are also aluminum, but they are still mounted on an ash frame - kiln-dried Belgian ash - the way Morgan’s have been built for decades. And this has helped in reducing the weight of the Aero 8, which in turn has helped the power to weight ratio of the car.
The BMW engine propels the Aero 8 to 60mph in less than five seconds, with a top speed of 160 mph. The aerodynamic profile of the car is such that the drag coefficient is similar whether the roof is up or down. A flat underbody and discreet Venturi tunnel at the rear contribute to the high-speed stability of the car.
Perhaps its inventor, H.F.S. Morgan, who said of his life’s work shortly before he died in 1959, “Looking back through the years, seeing both the errors and the triumphs in their correct perspective, I feel I have enjoyed it all, best sums up this brief history of the Morgan car. The motor trade has been, so far as I am concerned, a most interesting business.’’
(Excerpts taken from the Book “Morgan 1968-2001 ’A Brooklands Portfolio’ 1968-2001”)
I have only got the luxury to own the dingy model of the Aero 8, perhaps someday I will own or atleast get to drive this beauty of a machine.