Morgan Aero 8. V8 engine from BMW under the hood [gallery]

Morgan Rush? When you need to change the model more often than the queen changes. Aero 8 has been prepared with the unceasing patience with which the tip of a cigar smolders and Big Ben measures the time.

This is the brand's first completely new model since 1950. The word "new" should be understood by archaeologists. It was introduced on the threshold of the twenty-first century, so it has fifteen colorful years behind it. In addition to the classic roadster, the AeroMax coupe and the Aero SuperSports targa were created at that time.

The latest edition of the Aero 8 appeared at the Geneva show this year. It is currently only sold as a roadster, although a svelte hardtop can be ordered with it. The soft top retracts electrically behind the driver. The trunk is not symbolic and almost invisible.

The appearance is nostalgic to the point that the stone circle at Stonehenge is made of stone. There is nothing "more". You have to be an Englishman hiding in the swamps and a Dickens to absorb every nuance of this figure. Strangers will never fully understand it, unless they have a leader, Tomek Beksinsky, who brilliantly translated Monty Python films. The engine cowling is long enough to hide in the fog, "free-standing" wings flowing back like Mary Stuart frills, and a horseshoe-shaped air intake that is Morgan's coat of arms and seal. You can believe in ghosts!

The structure of the car lowers you to the ground. The chassis frame is a spatial aluminum structure. It was born in Alcan's British factory alongside a 2003–07 Jaguar XJ chassis. The body is also made of aluminium. Only the body frame was preserved from ash. This is not due to the backwardness of Morgan's designers. The company was the first in the automotive industry to apply Superform technology on a large scale. It consists in forming complex aluminum elements in molds using high pressure air at a temperature of 500°C. It was used in 2008 to build the AeroMax and is now used by other companies such as Aston Martin. The ashen skeleton is a memory, a genetic record.

Morgan currently has a V8 engine from BMW. There is a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Originally from Bavaria - a new self-locking differential. Of course, the rear wheels are driven. Independent suspension uses wishbones and coil springs. It has been refined and, in combination with the aerodynamically "pressing" elements of the car, provides the ability to turn without slowing down. Aero 8 has power steering, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and cruise control.

Is German technology a stain on honor? Defending the honor of Morgan, it is worth taking the point of view of a medieval knight who, through his marriage, expanded his possessions and sealed alliances. When you look at any car company's supplier list, those who believe in "purity of blood" will suffer from breading a cutlet. Morgan has an incredibly long list of options that, in addition to the variety of upholstery and Sultan interior trim, include systems for listening, viewing and navigating.

In the past, the character of the car was reflected in the smallest details: in the shape of the rocker arm and the click of the turn signal lever. Now it's even worse, because all roads lead to Beijing. Not necessarily literally, almost always mentally: it's cheaper to buy than to invent it yourself. Morgan, who is over a hundred years old, did not resist this because he would probably cease to exist. However, he retained enough originality to proudly flaunt his face. As if surprised that instead of rushing through the night, feeling the last of their strength towards, shall we say, Jolkey (and Morgan is perfect for this), people pull a pin from a beer, put on their headphones and start Skype.

Flight on the ground

They broke records for speed, endurance and economy. In the 20s, the Brooklands started one lap behind the rest of the races so that everyone had an equal chance. Star of the sky, Captain Albert Ball, who shot down more than 40 German aircraft during World War I, said of Morgan: "Flying this machine is like flying on the ground."

Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan built the first car in 1910. It made tricycles, which were taxed like motorcycles in the UK. The nimble Morgana, with its shiny V-twin front, has become a legend.

The first four-wheeled 4-4 model appeared in 1936. Its successor was the stronger +4 of 1950, which four years later received a rounded air intake - the hallmark of the brand.

The breakthrough was the 8 +1968 with a V8 engine from Rover. With him, Morgan joined the club of exclusive car manufacturers.

Selected technical data of Morgana area 8 and competitors:

Make a Model	Morgan Aero 8	Katerham Seven 620R	Lotus Exige S Roadster
Price (PLN) *	456 000	284 972	316 350
Body type / Number of doors	roadster/2	roadster / no	roadster/2
number of seats	2	2	2
Dimensions and weight
Length Width/ height (mm)	4147/1751/1248	3100/1685/800	4084/1802/1129
Wheel track: front / rear (mm)	bd.	bd.	1455/1500
Wheelbase (mm)	2530	2225	2370
Own weight (kg)	1180	545	1166
capacity trunk (l)	bd.	bd.	115
Tank capacity fuel (l)	55	41	40
Drive system
fuel type	gasoline	gasoline	gasoline
Capacity (cm3)	4799	1999	3456
Number of cylinders	V8	R4	V6
driving axle	rear	rear	rear
Transmission: type/number of gears	manual / 6	manual / 6	manual / 6
Performance
Power (hp) at work / min	367/6000	310/7700	350/7000
Torque (Nm) at rpm	490/3600	297/7350	400/4500
acceleration 0-100 km/h(s)	4,5	2,9	4
Speed maximum (km/h)	273	250	274
Average fuel consumption (l / 100 km)	12,1	11,5	10,1
CO2 emissions (g/km)	282	bd.	235