Morgan Aero 8: road car buying guide

Robert Ladbrook takes a look at the Aero 8, the cross-eyed curio that proved Morgan was more than a company stuck in the past

img_129-1.jpg
Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Current page

117

Current page

118

Current page

119

Current page

120

Current page

121

Current page

122

Current page

123

Current page

124

Current page

125

Current page

126

Current page

127

Current page

128

Current page

129

Current page

130

Current page

131

Current page

132

Current page

133

Current page

134

Current page

135

Current page

136

Current page

137

Current page

138

Current page

139

Current page

140

Current page

141

Current page

142

Current page

143

Current page

144

Current page

145

Current page

146

Current page

147

Current page

148

Current page

149

Current page

150

Current page

151

Current page

152

Current page

153

Current page

154

Current page

155

Current page

156

Current page

157

Current page

158

Current page

159

Current page

160

Current page

161

Current page

162

Current page

163

Current page

164

Mention Morgan cars to your mates and I guarantee that you’ll be met with that most predictable of retorts: “Aren’t they all made of wood? Watch out for termites…” No matter how stylishly retro or affordable Morgans were, approaching the 21st century its manufacturing technique had come to define the brand as stuck in the past.

Morgan used to hold its own on road and track. At Le Mans in 1962 a factory-run Plus 4 Super Sports driven by Chris Lawrence and Richard Shepherd-Barron topped the 2-litre GT class, and that success could have come a year earlier if the ACO had not rejected the car for “looking too oldfashioned”. Morgans divided opinion even then.

In the mid-1990s, and approaching its centenary year, company head Charles Morgan decided it was time to prove that his family business could indeed cut it in the modern age and began work on the company’s first all-new design since 1964’s Plus Four Plus.

Morgan started with a new monocoque chassis, made entirely from aluminium, as opposed to the traditional steel chassis and wooden tub that had been the firm’s mainstay.

To test the new platform, a chassis was clothed with Plus 8 bodywork and entered in the GT2 class of the 1995 Global BPR sports car series. While the car stood little chance against Porsches, the two-year programme proved the capabilities of the chassis, and the fragility of the ageing Rover V8 engine.

Keen to make the most of the design, Morgan set about transforming it into what would become the company’s first supercar – the Aero 8, which was revealed in 2000.

The chassis featured bonded aluminium elements, with ash wood sandwiched between the solid frame and the lightweight bodywork as a nod to Morgan’s history, but also a raft of clever innovations, like all-independent suspension with inboard shock absorbers and double wishbones all round.

Morgan also sought a partnership with BMW, which provided a 4.4-litre V8 engine. Then came the bodywork. The sweeping curves were a huge departure from traditional Morgan styling. While it did retain those familiar 1930s-style sweeps and family grille, the overall aesthetic took a bit of getting used to. Things weren’t helped by the cross-eyed lamps from a Volkswagen Beetle, swapped to suit the shape.

Early Aero 8s could hit 62mph in just 4.8sec and go on to nudge 160mph, proving the model’s sporting capabilities. Morgan also prepared one for racing, returning to Le Mans in 2002 on the 40th anniversary of the factory’s class win. The car failed to finish after rattling its axle to pieces and enduring engine issues.

Regardless, the Plus 8 set a new tone for the company. Four main iterations were made, as well as some stunning special editions, such as the AeroMax – designed by student Matt Humphries, earning him a job at Morgan on graduation – and the beautiful Aero Supersports, with its targa roof and boat-style tail.

One for sale

Morgan Aero 8 Supersports for sale2010 Aero 8 Supersports 

One of just 180 special editions, this is the most beautiful of the lot.

£POA

hexagonclassics.com

 


Morgan Aero 8 statistics

  • Price new £55,000
  • Price now £60,000-£130,000
  • Engine 4.4-litre BMW V8
  • Rivals Porsche 911 GT2, Lamborghini Murciélago, TVR Tuscan
  • Verdict Like it or loathe it, it was a significant Morgan milestone that launched the firm into its next century