There is also an article in the November 1st edition of AutoWeek titled
"What Morgan for the Millennium" that speaks to the new model. In the
article it indicates that Charles Morgan is planning to increase total
annual production toward 1000 cars and that the present plant can handle
that volume.
The article is only two pages and about half is devoted to discussion of the
new model.
Phil Roettjer
67 +4
67 MGB
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Manwell [SMTP:smanwell@xenergy.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 9:35 AM
> To: David P. Crandall
> Cc: Jane McDaid; Phil.Roettjer@quantum.com; Christine Root;
> leeawhite@aol.com; deemi@juno.com; HHLoeffler@erols.com;
> EGoodhart@aol.com; farley@tiac.net; Giampiero Pecelli; Jeff Webster
> Subject: FW: Morgan News
>
>
>
> THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN ISSUE 134 -- 2 NOVEMBER 1999
> BRITISH INDUSTRIAL NEWS
>
> MORGAN PLANS "ENTIRELY NEW SHAPE" SPORTS CAR BIN9/134/6
> THE 90-year old Morgan marque is to build its first sports car to have
> both
> a body and chassis made of aluminium. And it will have an entirely new
> shape.
> Announcing plans for a millennium two-seater at last month's London Motor
> Show, the United Kingdom specialist car maker said it will be the largest
> development project ever undertaken by the company. The influence for its
> design began with the Morgan GT2 race car in 1996, which ran with existing
> Morgan bodywork in the 1997 FIA GT series.
> The chassis for the racer was developed with the help of Birmingham
> University in the English Midlands. Both the chassis and other components
> of
> the car were proven over long distances during the 1996 and 1997 racing
> seasons, and its competition experience speeded up feedback. As a result,
> the stiffness of the original chassis was significantly improved but the
> car's success was restricted by the aerodynamics of the traditional
> bodywork.
> A spokesman explained: "When launched, the new car will sport an entirely
> new shape, styled in-house by Morgan and developed in the full-size wind
> tunnel of the UK Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA). This new
> design
> will successfully combine low drag with negative lift at the front and
> rear
> axles, but Morgan is keeping details of the styling under wraps until the
> car is unveiled in March 2000.
> "Like the Morgan founder's sliding pillar design, the suspension for the
> new
> model is an in-house design that benefits from racing experience. It will
> make good use of aluminium extrusions to reduce unsprung weight. The
> braking
> system has also been designed and specified with motor sport in mind.
> "The interior will feature hand-tailored leather, bare aluminium and also
> expose some of the hardwood features of the ash frame. For the first time
> in
> a Morgan, air conditioning and electric windows are likely to be fitted.
> As
> with current models, customers will still be able to choose from an almost
> infinite range of body colours and interior leather trim options to
> customise their car to their own specification."
> The newcomer will have a frame body of European ash hardwood clothed in a
> combination of all-new hand-formed and "superformed" aluminium panels.
> Disguised prototypes have undergone extensive testing with thousands of
> road
> and track miles being accumulated in different climates throughout Europe.
> Compliance with at least 50 separate requirements for European whole
> vehicle
> type approval has been Morgan's objective since the start of the project.
> Emission standards will be to the latest levels, incorporating misfire and
> tank leakage detection.
> Like the current Morgan flagship car, the Plus 8, the newcomer will be
> powered by a large capacity V8 engine. The Morgan spokesman added: "With
> finished cars expected to weigh in at around 1,000kg, performance is
> expected to be stunning." The company aims to have the car in production
> by
> mid-2000. Prices are expected to be above those of the Plus 8 and the new
> model will complement rather than replace any of the current range of
> sports
> cars.
> The recent London Motor Show also saw the return of the four-seater
> Morgan.
> The 4/4, which began production in July this year, has a completely new
> body
> and many improvements over the previous four-seater. Morgan says demand
> for
> the new car has been strong with factory build schedules full for some
> time
> to come.
> Morgan Motor Company Ltd, Pickersleigh Road, Malvern Link, Worcestershire,
> United Kingdom, WR14 2LL. Telephone: +44 1684 573104. Fax: +44 1684
> 892295.
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> Joanna Manwell
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