The Morgan Motor Company is a British automaker founded in 1910. The company was founded by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan and is still run by a member of the Morgan family, a grandson. This is quite a feat considering how many car companies merged or went out of business during the 1930’s to 1950’s. The fact that the company not only stayed independent but remained within the same family for over 100 years is quite unique.
There are other good reasons why the Morgan Motor Company is different. First, all cars are hand made by it’s 160+ employees. Secondly, there is a waiting list that can last for a few years or more. The story about Morgan cars is that some people have waited up to an incredible ten years for their Morgan automobile.
Thirdly, real wood is used in car interiors. Those three attributes alone set the company far apart from it’s competitors and in addition to this, the company, as mentioned above, is independent. It’s not a subsidiary of anyone.
Setting the Morgan Motor Company and the Morgan cars apart from other automakers even more is that the company produced a series of three-wheel vehicles for twenty years between 1932 and 1952. These were the F Models and were categorized as “cycle cars”. For some people it represents a cross between a motorcycle and automobile but clearly is a car. The cars had a pressed steel chassis and a four cylinder Ford Side-Valve engine. The sports styled three wheeler is popular in Europe and could have a good market in the U.S. as well. Morgans first four wheel vehicle was offered for sale in 1936 while still manufacturing the popular three wheelers.
The 2007 Morgan Aero 8 shown in this article is truly a unique sports car. The automobile has an alloy chassis and frame, independent suspension and does not utilize anti-roll bars which is highly unusual for sports cars. The engine of the Aero 8 is a BMW supplied 4.4L V8. The car is 14 feet in length. The Aero series included models I, II,III, IV and the Aero America which is the one shown here. The car can reach a top speed of 170 MPH (That’s fast) with 367 HP.
Incredibly, the Morgan Aero 8 was the first design change for the company since 1948. That’s well over sixty years without a new design. The Aero 8 was in the planning stages for some five years prior to going into production. A new Morgan Aero 8 has a price tag north of $200,000.
See our articles on the 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000
The Powerful 1965 Sunbeam Tiger MK-1
Also, the milestone car, the 1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
For those visiting Worcestershire England, the Morgan Motor Company offers tours of their car manufacturing plant. This guided tour also covers their museum which displays many automobiles. Watching such beautiful automobiles being produced by hand has got to be a great experience for any car enthusiast. According to the Morgan Motor Company website…Traditional car manufacturing combined with exciting cutting edge technology creates a tour like no other!
A great website to check out for Morgan memorabilia is the Morgan Memorabilia Museum at morganmemorabiliamuseum.com. The museum is located in Fullerton California.
The Automobile Driving Museum near Los Angeles has on display a 1935 Morgan Three-Wheeler. The museum is housed in a large brick building, located in an industrial area, just one block east of Sepulveda Boulevard, with cross streets being Mariposa and Maple Avenues. The city of El Segundo is south of the West Los Angeles Airport and north of Manhattan Beach.
Another good museum for Morgan automobiles and just about any vintage car is the excellent Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville California in the Bat Area. The Blackhawk Museum has over ninety vintage and classic cars on display.
(Photos are from author’s private collection)