2010 Morgan Aeromax Coupe

Some things are destined to be 'rare' and 'exotic' just because of simple math. If there are only a few of something then it is, by definition, rare, or, exotic. But other things become rare and exotic, not so much for simple math, or, by what can be seen straightaway, but because of something deeper. Each person is rare and exotic because of their personality, that sense of who they are. It is that same sense, that same personality that makes the Morgan Aeromax Coupe a rare and exotic find and a collector's item though it is only a year old.

It is apparent right away in its design. Many car companies are reverting to 'retro' styling, but for Morgan, it is who they are. It is their personality. They exist in a realm; in those days gone by, of elegant styling, where personality was worn on the sleeve. However, in the case of its Aeromax, it's what Morgan has hidden under the bonnet that helps keep the intrigue surrounding this small car company's designs. It is a collector's car for a new generation.

The British Morgan Motor Company has been making cars by hand for over 100 years. Founded in 1909 by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, the company has truly been a family affair. H.F.S. Morgan's son, Peter, ran the company when his father passed away in 1959. Peter Morgan ran the company up until a couple of years before his death in 2003. The leadership of the company then passed to Peter's son, Charles and remains under his supervision and leadership.

Morgan's early cars, actually 'motorcycles', were usually three or four seat, three-wheeled machines. To avoid having a tax imposed by the British government, the company made three-wheeled machines as they were technically classified as motorcycles. Anything having four or more wheels were taxed.

After World War II, the company started to focus on making four-wheeled machines. Even in those early days the recognizable styling and design was apparent. The long sloping wheel fairings and the rounded-off nose and grill were already trademarks of the company's designs.

During the 1960s, 4-cylinder engines became much harder to come by. This led the company to utilize Rover V-8 engines in their +4 models. The V-8 engine led to a new model number called the 8. Originally, the +4 used a 2.3 liter Triumph TR4 engine. When the company switched to the Rover V-8, a 3.5 liter engine, the performance of the +4 model jumped. This led to the 8 becoming a very popular model for the Morgan Motor Company.

Over the decades of making the 8, the engine size gradually grew. In 1990 it was offered with a 3.9 liter engine. Then, from 1996 to 2000, it was offered with the same Land Rover block engine but with its size increased to 4.6 liters. This version of the V-8 produced 190 bhp, and helped accelerate the car from 0 to 60 mph in only 5.6 seconds.

Then, in 2000, Morgan introduced its new Aero 8 to the world at the Geneva Salon. Onlookers were overwhelmed by what they saw. Morgan had always been a quiet motor company that built some great looking cars, but never a 'super car'. That all changed in 2000. Underneath the retro, but very familiar, aluminum body styling, sat a BMW V-8 engine that was capable of pushing the Aero 8 up to a top speed of 170 mph. The car could accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in only 4.2 seconds! Immediately, the Aero 8 became a favorite with enthusiasts. Some would have to wait years for delivery of their own. In all, 1,000 Aero 8s were built.

However, Peter Morgan wasn't done revitalizing and reinventing the Morgan family business. For those who were absolute Morgan hardliners, the Aero 8 pushed them to the edge. Morgan's Aeromax Coupe pushed them over.

Besides paying tribute to the company's longstanding and recognizable styling, the Aeromax Coupe, or Aeromax as it simply would be known during production, displays other design influences incorporated by designer Matt Humphries. The Univesity of Coventry design student took inspiration from Morgan's designs, but also, that of Corvettes from the early '60s and the Bugatti Type 57. Interestingly, Humphries was still a student at the time of his styling the Aeromax.

Features the Morgan Motor Company utilized in the Aeromax Coupe were similar to the Aero 8. It still has the same front-positioned 4.8 liter BMW V-8 engine which is capable of 369 bhp. To deliver that power to the road, Morgan offered a couple of transmission choices to its customers similar to the Aero 8. The customer could choose from either a six-speed ZF automatic or a six-speed manual. In addition, the power is controlled by a Hydrotrac limited-slip rear differential, which is supplemented by a DTC stability system. Ventilated AP Racing disc brakes provide incredible stopping power for the car. The car also features an electro-hydraulic steering system to help maintain driver control. Finally, a dual side-exit exhaust helps bring the raucous V-8's noise down to just slightly less than a Harrier jump-jet in a hover.

The Morgan Aeromax Coupe crossing the block in 2011 at RM Auctions sale in Arizona was an even more special GT. This custom-built Dark Metallic Blue Aeromax is one of only 100 examples built celebrating Morgan's 100th anniversary. Virtually brand-new, the car has less than 200 miles on it and is a truly stunningly finished example. Personally picked by the previous owner, the Dark Metallic Blue exterior is accented on the inside by Dark Red leather upholstery and black piano wood trim. One of only seven examples to be legally imported into the United States, this car has a six-speed ZF automatic gearbox and a noise that will turn heads miles down the road.

Virtually all of the other famous British luxury car companies are either out of business, or, are actually owned and operated by officials from other nations. The Morgan Motor Company is the last of Britain's luxury car companies. And, the car company from sleepy little Malvern Link has reason to hold its head up high as its Aeromax Coupe does great honor to the old Union Jack.

Sources:
'Buy: Feature Lots (Lot 158: 2010 Morgan Aeromax Coupe)', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r308). RM Auctions Arizona. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AZ11&CarID=r308. Retrieved 3 January 2011.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Morgan Motor Company', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 December 2010, 16:01 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morgan_Motor_Company&oldid=402875137 accessed 4 January 2011

By Jeremy McMullen