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Carsales Staff3 Mar 2012
NEWS

GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Morgan refreshes range

British niche car maker updates three of its lightweight sports cars

Morgan’s 2012 activities are not confined to the racetrack or building modern versions of its original three-wheeler car. ??The traditional British sports car maker is giving its loyal fan base more reasons to rejoice with three new model updates making their debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

The sleek, curvaceous Aero Coupe is the latest in a line of Aero super sportscars, which date back to the original Aero 8 roadster of 2000. ??Featuring styling inspired by the Morgan GT3 Aero race car, the Aero Coupe will replace the limited-edition, targa-topped Supersports as Morgan’s flagship model.

Constructed entirely from lightweight aluminium, it “combines performance with environmental responsibility and a high level of safety,” according to Morgan.

The fixed roof Aero Coupe is powered by a 270kW/490Nm BMW 4.8-litre V8 matched to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, which has a ‘Sport’ mode for more rapid response.

Performance should be exhilarating, with the zero to 100km/h sprint dispatched in under five seconds and a top speed of 273km/h. ??With a dry weight of just 1175kg, the 4.14m long coupe offers a power to weight ratio of 246kW/tonne, partly thanks to the extensive use of aluminium.??The Aero Coupe has not completely left tradition in its wake however, with liberal lashings of leather and ash hardwood inside the luxury cabin.

The Geneva Show will also mark the return of the Plus 8 roadster, last built by Morgan in 2004.

While remaining faithful to many of the traditional features of the original Plus 8, the latest version benefits from the fitment of the same BMW V8 in the Aero (in place of the old Rover V8 engine). It will also be the only classic Morgan fitted with a six speed auto.

Even lighter than the Aero Sport at 1100kg, the Plus 8 will do the 100km/h sprint in 4.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h.

Morgan says the Plus 8 is also more comfortable than before, featuring a mohair soft-top with double thickness liner for insulation. Air-conditioning and a radio/CD player are also standard in the luxurious leather-lined cockpit.

The ‘classic’ V6-engined Morgan Roadster has also been upgraded with the latest Cyclone V6 from the Ford Mustang. The new engine, matched to a

Ford six-speed manual transmission, produces 194kW and 352Nm and will propel the Roadster to 100km/h in a claimed 4.9 seconds. ??With a galvanised steel chassis and aluminium bodywork, the two (or four-) seater Roadster weighs just 950kg.

The Roadster also features a new dashboard with wood-framed digital and analogue instruments including large speedo and rev counter, electronic warning systems, and a stop watch to record lap times.

All three models are expected to go on sale in Australia, from as early as mid-2012, and once they’ve gone through the usual Australian Design Rules (ADR) compliance process. Local pricing has yet to be announced for the Aero Coupe or Plus 8, but the V6 Roadster will stay the same at $129,900.

Meanwhile, the arrival of the new-generation Morgan three-wheeler in Australia is getting closer, with Morgan Cars Australia’s Chris van Wyk confirming that crash testing of the modern revival of Morgan’s first vehicle will take place this month in the UK.

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