What's this then?
This is the Morgan Aero GT.
Another wood-and-leather-and-some-more-wood Morgan, eh? Cart spring suspension, I suspect?
Not quite, no. Just eight of these Aero GTs will be built, and they're a final celebration of the 20-year-old Aero 8 range. This, remember, is Morgan's 'modern' range, which uses an all-aluminium-chassis and BMW's N62 4.4-litre V8 engine with 367hp.
Hmmm. Quick, then?
Yup; 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of 170mph. Plus this one gets an aggressive, aerodynamic body that's been put through computational fluid dynamics computer simulations to make sure it's aerodynamically efficient.
What? Is Morgan turning into NASA?
Not quite, but the aero package is pretty clever. Those dramatic front-wing louvres (inspired by the 2009 Aero 8 GT3 racer) actually help stabilise the air flowing down the side of the car, while the optional carbon-fibre hard-top and big rear diffuser play their parts too.
Don't worry, though, Morgan hasn't forgotten its roots. Along with all the aero trickery and carbon fibre, there's still plenty of tweedy, hand-made goodness. Each car gets a special GT badge, hand-made by a jeweller, while each of the eight owners will get a session with Jon Wells, Morgan's head of design, so that they can customise their car during its eight-to-ten week build time.
I guess Morgan is proud of its latest creation?
Steve Morris, Managing Director said: "One of our greatest strengths as a brand is our ability to be responsive and create a hand-built car which is truly bespoke to each customer. The Aero 8 has been a stalwart of Morgan production for almost 20 years, it offers an exceptional driving experience and unrivalled looks, further enhanced in Aero GT guise. Every Morgan is built to an exacting specification and is bespoke to each customer; their personality is displayed in every detail. Owners invest a great deal of emotion in choosing and tailoring their own perfect specification, this investment is rewarded at the first drive of their unique and exhilarating vehicle. The Aero GT is the ultimate ensemble of this formula."
Jon Wells, Head of Design said: "The Aero GT, unlike its predecessors, adopts an unconventionally aggressive aesthetic. However, a purist approach to achieving a design in which 'form follows function' has been rigidly adhered to. This is most apparent in the new additions to the body work. The additional wing top louvres, side impressions and dramatic rear diffuser have all been tested extensively to ensure they work together to reduce drag and increase road holding capability. The merits of these additions were first unearthed during the early development phases of the 2015 Aero 8 whilst we were exploring the requirements of a more aerodynamically efficient Aero. This was a key requirement of the initial Aero 8 brief. Each new panel has been sculpted by hand, by Morgan master craftsmen. The beauty of working so closely with talented sheet metal workers and coachbuilders is that designers are relatively unrestrained in their ability to challenge the forms and their functions. Unlike many, we can make special limited-edition vehicles that really exercise the imagination of the designer and the ability of the craftsman. The Aero range has always offered Morgan the platform to explore the boundaries of mechanical and styling design and I am delighted the family has allowed one of our wildest ideas to become a reality."
Neil Briscoe - 6 Mar 2018