Cars / Cars and Bikes

Limited Edition Morgan Aero GT celebrates the end of Aero 8 production

Just eight example celebrate the end of Aero 8 production at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory

Oct 24, 2018 | By Jonathan Ho

Designed by design student Matt Humphries (who eventually graduated and became Morgan’s first head of design), the Morgan Aero 8 was a new take on old-school British roadsters. This year, Morgan Special Projects department will send the beloved Aero 8 off with the British marque’s most extreme road-going model to date, the Morgan Aero GT. 8 limited edition variants of the Aero GT will headline the final production of the Aero 8 in 8 bespoke special editions, rather than a series production of 8 identical limited edition Aero GTs.

Limited Edition Morgan Aero GT celebrates the end of Aero 8 production

The longest established independent automotive manufacturer, Morgan Motor Company will produce just eight of the special Morgan Aero GT variants. Just eight examples, celebrating the end of Aero 8 production at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory, each of the limited edition vehicles have already been allocated through Morgan’s Dealership network but nevertheless, it’s still a very cool, retrofuturist classic sports car if you can get your hands on one.

“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.” – Steve Morris, Managing Director, Morgan Cars

The Limited edition Morgan Aero GT is a dramatic evolution of the popular Aero 8, recognisable for its striking wing impressions and louvres – a functional and aesthetic addition, and developed alongside the 2015 Aero 8; Development of the latest Aero 8 focused on redeveloping the aluminium chassis to make it stiffer and introduce all-new front and rear suspension to improve driving dynamics. The introduction of a newly developed soft-top and the redesign of the rear of the car lead to further research by Morgan Special Projects into the effects that body form features have on aerodynamic performance.

Powered by the same 367bhp BMW N62 V8 engine used in the Aero 8, the Morgan Aero GT will feature only manual transmission and complete its century sprint in 4.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 170mph. Each Aero GT will also benefit from Morgan’s latest adjustable suspension.

“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.” – – Jon Wells, Head of Design, Morgan Cars

All limited edition Aero GT’s have the option of a carbon fibre hard-top. Taking inspiration from 1960s race cars, the hard-top on the Morgan Aero GT benefits from the addition of a rearward facing roof vent that reflects the rear graphic of the tail-light, whilst improving the drag coefficient of the vehicle.

A worthy send-off, Morgan’s design department applied knowledge developed throughout the research process of the latest Aero 8 in order to introduce the aerodynamic enhancements as seen on the Aero GT, taking inspiration from the aggressive aerodynamic profiles seen on Morgan’s striking 2009 GT3 race car, similar body form functions were explored during the development of the Aero 8 but never implemented till now.

 


 
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