Coming to America: Morgan "Roadster"

[BMWDave]

Coming to America: Morgan "Roadster"
Date Posted 07-15-2005

MALVERN, England ? Morgan, one of the last bastions of classic hand-built sports cars, announced it will make 82 of its timeless two-seater Roadster models available in North America.

Last year the company's latest offering, the Aero 8, appeared at the Los Angeles auto show and enthusiasts later had the chance to snap one up at one of the 10 North American dealers.

But the Roadster is a different animal. The company puts great emphasis on the fact that it looks nearly the same as it did when it was originally introduced in the early 1960s.

Don't be fooled by the looks, though; under the "bonnet" lurks a powerful 3.0-liter V6 Ford engine that churns out 225 horsepower. Standard equipment now includes air conditioning and dual airbags in addition to the posh leather upholstery and walnut dashboard.

This limited run is priced at $73,500 plus shipping. The series will be produced between September and November this year with delivery dates planned for December 2005 and January 2006.

What this means to you: If you've always wanted a heart-stoppingly classy roadster hand built for you, and have been saving your lunch money for all these years, this could be the one.

[TBR]

$73,500 for a car that you can purchase at car auctions for under $30,000 (probably)? No thanks.  

[ifcar]

That's not a standard Duratec, is it?

[cozmik]

That's not a standard Duratec, is it?

Going by the power number, I'd say it is the same one as the X-type and S-Type get.

[ifcar]

It's only making 4 hp over the Fusion/Milan/Zephyr.  

[giant_mtb]

A little pricey, but hey, a lot of labor goes into a handbuilt car.     But, I'd much rather have the Aero 8 with its sportier character.

[TurboDan]

I'd much rather buy an SL500 or Maserati Spyder.    

[BMWDave]

I'd much rather buy an SL500 or Maserati Spyder.  

Same here.  Morgan really caters to a niche group, and if your not into hand built cars and wooden chasis, then morgans have very few advantages.

[Raza]

73 grand and 225bhp?  It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

[BMWDave]

73 grand and 225bhp?  It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

[Raza]

73 grand and 225bhp?  It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

If not, I'd rather have a Z4 with the new 255 bhp engine and metal all around.

[BMWDave]

73 grand and 225bhp?? It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

If not, I'd rather have a Z4 with the new 255 bhp engine and metal all around.

same here.  Although I would opt for a Porsche Boxster for about the same money.

[Raza]

73 grand and 225bhp?  It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

If not, I'd rather have a Z4 with the new 255 bhp engine and metal all around.

same here.  Although I would opt for a Porsche Boxster for about the same money.

There's something about the Box S.  It's too....good.  It's the perfect car, really, and I love it so much.  But there's something about a flawed car like the Z4, with its controversial styling, its long-bonnet-and-short-deck design that makes it a more raw and emotional auto than the Boxster.  I still rank the first gen Box S as the best car I've ever driven (and I've driven some pretty nice stuff, you know that), but I think I'd rather own the Z4.  Plus, BMW's got a good maintenance program.

[BMWDave]

73 grand and 225bhp?? It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

If not, I'd rather have a Z4 with the new 255 bhp engine and metal all around.

same here.  Although I would opt for a Porsche Boxster for about the same money.

There's something about the Box S.  It's too....good.  It's the perfect car, really, and I love it so much.  But there's something about a flawed car like the Z4, with its controversial styling, its long-bonnet-and-short-deck design that makes it a more raw and emotional auto than the Boxster.  I still rank the first gen Box S as the best car I've ever driven (and I've driven some pretty nice stuff, you know that), but I think I'd rather own the Z4.  Plus, BMW's got a good maintenance program.

I also love the Z4, and I like the styling better than the Boxster, but you cant really argue with a mid engine design  

[Raza]

73 grand and 225bhp?  It better weigh under 3000 pounds.

I'm not sure about that...it has a/c, airbags, and such.  I will try to check up how much it weighs.

If not, I'd rather have a Z4 with the new 255 bhp engine and metal all around.

same here.  Although I would opt for a Porsche Boxster for about the same money.

There's something about the Box S.  It's too....good.  It's the perfect car, really, and I love it so much.  But there's something about a flawed car like the Z4, with its controversial styling, its long-bonnet-and-short-deck design that makes it a more raw and emotional auto than the Boxster.  I still rank the first gen Box S as the best car I've ever driven (and I've driven some pretty nice stuff, you know that), but I think I'd rather own the Z4.  Plus, BMW's got a good maintenance program.

I also love the Z4, and I like the styling better than the Boxster, but you cant really argue with a mid engine design

No, you really can't.  It's an incredibly amazing car, but, perhaps, it's too good?

[BMWDave]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

[Raza]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

[BMWDave]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

I agree with you design wise, as I view the Z4's design in a much more favorable light, but I dont see how a car like the boxster can be 'souless' mechanically simply because it is so good.

[Raza]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

I agree with you design wise, as I view the Z4's design in a much more favorable light, but I dont see how a car like the boxster can be 'souless' mechanically simply because it is so good.

It's not.  It's just not as emotional.  

[BMWDave]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

I agree with you design wise, as I view the Z4's design in a much more favorable light, but I dont see how a car like the boxster can be 'souless' mechanically simply because it is so good.

It's not.  It's just not as emotional.

A car like an Enzo is almost perfect in every way; a car like a CGT is almost perfect in every way.  You view a Z4 more emotionally inspiring than those cars?

[Raza]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

I agree with you design wise, as I view the Z4's design in a much more favorable light, but I dont see how a car like the boxster can be 'souless' mechanically simply because it is so good.

It's not.  It's just not as emotional.

A car like an Enzo is almost perfect in every way; a car like a CGT is almost perfect in every way.  You view a Z4 more emotionally inspiring than those cars?

The Enzo is incredibly imperfect.  It's fairly ugly, it's got an automatic trans, et al.  The Carrera GT is more emotional in any case, because of certain factors that make it more emotional.

Remember though, these are fairly personal things.  There is an area of "emotion" that is universal, but there are many facets that will never be understood by anyone other than the person feeling it.  As far as design goes, the Boxster is less emotional than the Z4 is, but as a car, it is about equal.

[BMWDave]

I dont see how a car can be too good.

It can't really, unless you feel the emotions of the car a lot (and value that).  If a person is perfect, it's rather boring...we love the imperfections of a person, and a car without personality is as boring in that manner.  That's not saying the Boxster is soulless, because it's not, there's loads of soul, and it sure isn't boring, but I think there's more emotion in the design of the Z4...it's imperfect.

I agree with you design wise, as I view the Z4's design in a much more favorable light, but I dont see how a car like the boxster can be 'souless' mechanically simply because it is so good.

It's not.  It's just not as emotional.

A car like an Enzo is almost perfect in every way; a car like a CGT is almost perfect in every way.  You view a Z4 more emotionally inspiring than those cars?

The Enzo is incredibly imperfect.  It's fairly ugly, it's got an automatic trans, et al.  The Carrera GT is more emotional in any case, because of certain factors that make it more emotional.

Remember though, these are fairly personal things.  There is an area of "emotion" that is universal, but there are many facets that will never be understood by anyone other than the person feeling it.  As far as design goes, the Boxster is less emotional than the Z4 is, but as a car, it is about equal.

What can I say, I disagree.  But its emotion, and emotion varies from person to person :)

[Raza]

If someone gave me the keys to an Enzo, I'd take it...but I think there are better ways to spend that money.  I would not buy one myself.

[BMWDave]

If someone gave me the keys to an Enzo, I'd take it...but I think there are better ways to spend that money.  I would not buy one myself.

Who wouldnt take it

But I would get a CGT way before I got an Enzo.

[Raza]

If someone gave me the keys to an Enzo, I'd take it...but I think there are better ways to spend that money.  I would not buy one myself.

Who wouldnt take it

But I would get a CGT way before I got an Enzo.

I'd rather have something like a Dino, a track car, an M5, a 911, and a few others in my garage, and still have a hundred grand left over to keep my trophy wife happy.