Morgan Motor Company has announced a new Limited Edition Aero 8 Race Inspired car.

• Morgan Motor Company has announced a new “gloves off” variant of the Aero 8: the race-inspired Aero GT
• Limited to just eight examples, the Aero GT will mark the end of Aero 8 production at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory
• Aero GT is fitted with new hand-worked body panels, including wing top louvres and a drastic rear diffuser – all reducing drag while significantly increasing downforce
• Each of the eight cars – all already sold to existing Morgan customers – will be individually numbered and with bespoke customer-requested features
• The Aero GT will be officially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 2018

Morgan Motor Company has today announced its most extreme roadgoing model to date; the race-inspired Aero GT. Using lessons learned from Morgan’s GT3 race victories, the Aero GT is based upon the lightweight aluminium Aero 8 but with an all-new hand-worked, aerodynamically honed body which reduces drag but significantly increases downforce.

Conceived initially during the development of the 2015 Morgan Aero 8, the aggressive Aero GT variant never saw the light of day. But, in 2018, the final eight Aero 8 cars to roll out of Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory will be Aero GT variants.

 With close consultation between head of design, Jon Wells, and Morgan’s uniquely talented metal workers who have perfected their skill over a lifetime, every panel of the bespoke Aero GT is reworked by hand with new wing top louvres, deep side impressions and a drastic rear diffuser. Contradicting the styling department’s usual approach to maintaining fluid forms, the designers embraced these new body enhancements.

All eight Aero GT models – already accounted for by existing Morgan customers – will be individually tailored to each owner. Individually numbered cars will each leave the factory with bespoke customer-requested additions, in line with Morgan’s hand-crafted approach.

Fitted with a 367bhp 4.8-litre BMW V8 and six-speed manual gearbox, also found in the Aero 8, the Aero GT sprints from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, hitting a top speed of 170mph. With the engine no longer in production, the Aero GT is not only a last hurrah for the current Aero 8 but for the naturally aspirated BMW engine, too.

The Aero models marked a new era for Morgan when the Aero 8 was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2000. A bold new design and lightweight aluminium construction ushered in a new level of performance for the Morgan brand, which has reached its latest and most extreme evolution in the Aero GT.

Jon Wells, Head of Design at Morgan Motor company said: “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 are able to make truly 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.”

Steve Morris, Managing Director of Morgan Motor Company, 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. I am a proud owner of an Aero 8 myself; it has been a stalwart of the brand and offers an exceptional driving experience, that only gets better in Aero GT guise.

“Every Morgan is built to an exacting specification and is bespoke to each customer, as their personality is displayed in every detail. A great deal of emotion is invested in every decision and this experience is only enhanced by the joy of then driving such powerful and unique vehicles. The Aero GT is the ultimate ensemble of this formula.”

Morgan takes its Aero 8 and goes head to head with a plane at Bruntingford, see who wins !

World War 1 fighter pilot and Morgan owner Albert Ball once remarked that his pre-war Morgan Three Wheeler was “the closest thing to flying without leaving the ground.” – Since that time, Morgan sports cars have been thrilling drivers around the world with their unique and exhilarating driving experience, be it on 3 Wheels or 4 Wheels.

Their use, however, has never extended to a “race” between a Morgan and a plane, until now! Morgan’s latest video pits their fastest model, the Aero 8, against a Pitts S2S muscle biplane in a head-to-head airfield drag race.

At the wheel of the Aero 8 was Jon Wells, Morgan’s Head of Design and the man who crafted Morgan’s flagship performance car. Boasting a 4.8 litre BMW V8 engine developing 367bhp and weighing just over 1 tonne, the strong power-to-weight ratio made it the ideal Morgan to challenge an agile and lightning-quick aeroplane.

Flying the biplane was Richard Goodwin, a former military and commercial pilot, who has specially modified his S2S biplane, known as “G-EWIZ,” to wow fans with stunning aerobatic displays at air shows around the world. G-EWIZ is powered by a six cylinder, 8.5 litre engine producing over 300bhp and pulls forces of plus 6g and minus 5g at speeds of over 200mph.

The pair of lightweight, high performance challengers met at Bruntingthorpe airfield in Leicestershire, England. Confining this challenging stunt to a single take off and race, it was crucial that both driver and pilot judge each other’s speed to be in formation.

Following the initial take off, there were just a few runs to allow the plane and car to travel in formation with each other. In true style, Richard activated the smoke cannons and executed the manoeuvre perfectly flying in formation with the Aero 8, just feet above the ground at speeds of over 100mph. 

Jon Wells, Head of Design at Morgan Motor Company said: “On Monday morning my Morgan MD Steve announced that following a casual chat with ‘stunt pilot Rich’, that 4 days later I would be racing head to head with him in an Aero 8. 

I required little persuading. Our friends at Bruntingthorpe provided the perfect location, the weather was glorious, we briefed a film crew, and arrived on the Friday with very little idea of what to expect. This was no intended PR stunt, just a cool opportunity presenting itself to a team small and flexible enough to just ‘make it happen’. Neither Morgan, Rich or I needed more of an excuse!”

“Statically, and on paper, the power to weight ratios of our Aero vs Rich’s muscle biplane were evenly stacked. None the less, it was surprising to see just how well matched they were from a standing start. I am familiar with the impact of launching an Aero 8 from stationary to 150mph, but what I hadn’t anticipated was the experience of doing this with the backdraft of an insanely powerful prop plane pointing right at you! 

The noise, wind and vibrations were immense… but oddly it felt rather calm and surreal; travelling at the same speed, the relative position to each other was static. The plane was gently floating at 45 degrees, just feet above me. 

I was even able to make eye contact with Rich above me in the cockpit and it wasn’t until he banked up sharply and my attention was fully refocused on the rapidly disappearing runway that the realisation of just quite how insane this was dawned on me! Rich is a gifted pilot, Aeros are very confident at speed, and I felt very safe… but must say that this was without a doubt an experience I will never forget!”

Morgan, the classic car brand expects 2016 to be the best year for a number of years.

Morgan Technologies Limited is predicting continued strengthening of its financial position for the financial year ending December 2016.  

This stems from a number of Board initiatives which are improving performance and the company expects to post its best financial performance in both sales and profits for four years.  

The launch of the new Aero 8 and Plus 8 models has generated strong demand and significant exports while the development of the electric 3 wheeler EV3 and the brand partnership with Selfridges drew renewed global attention to the Morgan brand. 

Plans for the future include the setting up of a Family Council.  The recent settlement of Morgan's long-running employment dispute with Charles Morgan opens the way to the successful establishment of the Family Council and he will be invited to be a member, as well as retaining his shareholding.   

While there will be no change in the family shareholders, the Family Council will ensure that the wider Morgan family, including children of the current shareholders, have a voice in the future strategy of the Morgan group.

Non-Exec Chairman Dominic Riley said, "This is a year of strong progress at Morgan Motor Company. 

We have delivered growth in the sales of motor cars and the best financial performance for four years. 

We are also pleased to have settled the long running employment dispute with Charles Morgan and I wish to place on the record the Company's thanks to Charles for the contribution he made as an employee and director of the business over many years.  

Our plans to set up a Family Council will enable all members of the Morgan family to have a voice in the future direction of the Morgan group and to move forward together."