Jalopnik
Perhaps now you understand the troubles we go through to select the lineup of the first 50 cars to fill the stalls of the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage. We presented to you theCaparo T1, warts and all, for consideration of the garage without the benefit of flowery prose or over the top hyperbole — the car itself is hyperbole enough. We wanted to see how a game-changing supercar would stand up to the harsh scrutiny of an unsoftened voting block because frankly, we're tired of everything getting in so easily. This is about whittling things down to a sharpened point, debating the merits and pitfalls of some of the greatest mechanical symphonies ever built, this should be a knock down drag out fight to get into the garage — that is unless we're talking about the Morgan Aero 8.
Morgan is one of those companies you have to love. For all practical purposes they are the last of a dying breed, a company which weighs profit motive and passion on equal terms — craftsman as well as enthusiasts. When the whole world went crazy and abandoned everything traditional, Morgan soldiered on, producing their delightful, ash framed Morgan Plus 8, a legendary car in its own right, lauded for its lively handling and hairy knuckled driving personality. But while half-century old designs are quaint and draw a certain customer, everyone gets the urge to brave new paths, and Morgan set out to remake its image with the Aero 8.
The story of the Aero 8 is very much a story of traditionalists finding new ways, getting out of their baked in mindset and reconsidering what they could do with what they know how to do. Much like every other car company started doing two decades ago, Morgan began using computers. Not only did they use computers, but they did it well. The frame would be constructed of bonded and riveted aluminum extrusions mated with kiln dried Belgian ash, and covered in an aluminum skin. As long time engine supplier Rover fell into a death rattle, a new engine was needed for this much higher performance car. There is a blind quote attributed to a BMW engineer who, upon seeing the prototype for the first time, remarked "At last, here's a car worthy of my engine" and so it was. The heart of the Aero 8 is a BMW supplied 4.4L V8 which develops a stout 325 HP, and considering the car weighs in at 2500 lbs. the power is positively stupendous. That power is harnessed by a suspension which resembles a racing car more than a road car, it is fully independent with inboard mounted springs and dampers all around.
We could go on about how this car goes round the track fast enough to beat most others at or above its price range, how it bites on corners like a teething pit bull puppy, or how the interior is swaddled in cow and machine-turned steel... but that's not the 800 lb gorilla in the room now is it? All of those things are certainly reason for admiration, but the glaring fact is the glaring fact - its eyes were crossed. One would think the British motoring press would have been swinging from the chandeliers when the new car debuted at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, but they raked it over the coals. London's Daily Telegraph called it "stupendously ugly". We couldn't agree and disagree more. The Aero 8 is ugly, but ugly badass — it wears its sheet metal with a certain braggadocio only a stupendously ugly car with stupendously amazing heritage and stupendously impressive performance can. The world is a boring place when everything looks like a Porsche or a Ferrari. Drive one of these and you know you're not following the crowd. Not only does this car fly in the face of the modern styling aesthetic, it quashes notions of what a sports car should be.
The Morgan Aero 8 is a modern interpretation of all that is good an pure about motoring. It is a fourteen foot long testament to the idea that cars do not have to make sense or be beautiful to be spectacular. A velvet hammer designed on its own terms, without bothering to glance at those who would claim to be its competition. The Aero 8 is the only car you can still buy new which makes us want to wear driving goggles when the top is down, and for that we want it in our fantasy garage.
The Jalopnik Fantasy Garage:
1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage | Honda 1300 Coupe 9 | 1931 Daimler Double Six 50 Corsica Drophead Coupe | Ferrari 288 GTO | Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 | 1970 Buick GSX 455 | First Generation BMW M Coupe | Bugatti Veyron 16.4 | Ford GT | Citroen SM | Porsche 928 | Jensen FF | DeTomaso Vallelunga | Audi Quattro S1 | Buick GNX | Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R | Honorary Fantasy Garager: The LS1 Powered Rotus | Lamborghini LM002 | Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe | Ferrari 250 GTO | Bentley Speed Six | Talbot-Lago T150C SS Figoni et Falaschi Raindrop/Teardrop Coupe | Porsche 917 | Audi RS4 Avant | Lamborghini Miura | Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 | BMW E39 M5 | Jaguar E-type | Mercedes-Benz 300 SL | Dodge Charger/Challenger R/T | Toyota 2000GT | Facel Vega HK500 | Voisin C28 Aerosport | Bugatti Type 41 Royale | McLaren F1 | Maserati Bora | Continental MK II | Tucker 48 | Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato | BMW 507 | Porsche 959 | 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Jonckheere Coupe | Land Rover Defender | Lotus Eleven | Cadillac Eldorado Brougham | 1963 Mini Cooper S | 1934 Duesenberg Model SJ | Caparo T1
sources: USAAutoparts, Morgan Cars; photo credit to chimpaction
Comments
The Morgan Aero 8 is a must. It's a truly beautiful car. I would prefer the Morgan Aeromax over the Aero 8 though.
after watching the Top Gear drive of the GTN version, I want one... I want one bad.
+ Watch video
Yes from the very first picture I ever saw of one.
I really like this car, but I don't think it goes in the garage...
Maybe in another decade?
Looks good to me...
eh, maybe. Its up to you guys.
Man, this a tough one. I love Morgans, but are they really fantasy material?
In the end, your impassioned prose swung me to yes. Let the Aero 8 in. It's a big FU to those rich bastards driving Murcielagos.
As a bonus, it has one of the coolest name badges of all time.
No no no.
No.
Can we get THIS Morgan in the Garage??
[morgan-webb.topwomen.org]
No. The JFG, much like the Fonz and society itself, has finally jumped the shark.
Absolutely not. No anachronisms in my JFG please.
Dudes, when did you kill the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage and replace it with the Jalopnik Slightly Rare And Quirky But Otherwise Undistinguished Modern Car Garage?
Resounding "no".
how could you spend so much time getting the rest of the car so right and then not notice the cross eyes? that large in your face detail is what brings out the no vote for me.
Send it to the opthamologist for correct eye surgery, and then, maybe.
They changed the headlights recently, as I saw on Top Gear.
Nothing says retro cool like this car.
As a big fan of early-'60s Mopars I can hardly believe I'm saying it, but that thing is just too goofy-looking.
++++1111111
Or wait, maybe it should be the Morgan Aero Max....so hot.
No. If you want British, there are better choices. If you want a BMW drivetrain, there are better choices. If you want a powerful V8 in a two door coupe, there are better choices.
Hell, I'd MUCH rather have that LS2-equipped Jensen over one of these things.
Next to some of the iron in the JFG, like the Facel Vega, this thing is a bad joke.
Ten thousand ways of awesome - so it's a yes. A highly refined, bizzarely-styled, traditional-yet-raced-in-modern-times splurgemobile. Again I say YES!
And indeed, they changed from VW New Beetle headlamps to MINI headlamps last year, so no more cross-eyed look. It wouldn't stop me from owning one (someday), but the MINI headlamps are better anyway.
Usually I vote by thinking, if I had all the money in the world, would I buy this car? Unfortunately no... I do like it alot, but I probably wouldn't get one for myself. This is a funny video of one owner, "you little boy."
+ Watch video
I would definitely put the Aero 8 in the JFG, however I would probably head it in as the front still is the least appealing part of the car.
The other downside to the car is a bit of an awkward driving position, as the cabin isn't terribly long.
Regardless, it's a brutally fast, eclectically designed, unique property in the sporting car world.
Besides, next to Prince Charles, it looks good.
Reminds me of Mr. burns mobilemoblie no go
@brownie:
When did they kill the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage and replace it with the Jalopnik Look At What We Saw While Old Top Gear Episodes This Week?
Me not likey
I think the Fantasy Car Garage should move from a simple majority (50%+ gets in) to maybe two thirds vote to get in. With the Caparo last week and the Morgan this week getting voted in at 11:9 it hardly seems right. Besides, it's not like the posts extolling the virtues of the nominees are going to cause people to vote against them. Stricter criteria are needed or else the garage will be nearly full too quickly.
They did provide a headlight update to deal with all the naysayers, but its the ire the original draws that makes it more desireable. Cries of "it's ugly" or "it's cross eyed" should be met with statements of "who cares - wanna race?"
Sorry, you can sugarcoat the front end's ugliness with all the adverbs you want, but at the end of the day this thing is a swamp donkey of the highest order. Sure, a swamp donkey with a heavenly power-to-weight ratio and a track-ready chassis, but a swamp donkey just the same. No.
It just doesn't do it for me... It's a great idea, to be sure, but the stylistic execution leaves something to be desired.
@AlmightyPants: you don't understand how the garage works do you? First we fill it, then we start shaping it carefully by pruning away the chaff and introducing better replacements. the garage doesn't reach a state of "doneness" when its full.
Make it the one they raced at Lemans and it's in.
Raise the rear deck and you have a winner! Right now it looks like a pooch that just lost a dog fight and is running away.
No. And the cutoff for JFG should be at least 75% affrimative. The FG needs to have a garage sale.
Sorry, looks too much like those cheesy 70s excalibur conversions to me. Not worthy.
seriously, of all the fantastic, storied, rare, beautiful, blood-curdlingly fast, historic cars out there, the Aero 8 is the latest candidate?
i miss Loverman's JFG stewardship
i have MAD love for Jalop, but take a cold shower and pull yourself together. remember where you came from. think of the Blogfather.
Sorry. It's too confused and unresolved for me. To echo Preferrecustomer: If you want old-world craftsmanship with modern bits where it counts, there are better choices.
And if you want slightly ugly but with performance, get an M coupe.
I had to vote yes. There is just no other sports car like it anywhere. The look of an antique with the heart of a modern car. Besides, what other modern supercar comes with super-sleeper status like this?
It's an absolutely fantastic car. I don't want my fantasy garage filled with flying wedges. I love the juxtaposition of old school styling with superb modern technology. A wonderful choice.
@dolo54: if I had all the money in the world, would I buy this car?
Good point. I like this car for what it is and what it does, but I wouldn't actually buy it.
@Ben Wojdyla: The world is a boring place when everything looks like a Porsche...
Are there other cars styled after Porsche? I've always thought that Porsches were unique in their styling, in fact, Porsches are kinda homely. In a bad ass way... it's part of what makes them so cool.
Anyway, this thing, not in my fantasy.
It can't go in. The styling gaff is so bad and so lazy that it can't stand in the JFG.
Honestly, how hard would it have been to grab a 5-year-old and show them a drawing of the front end and get the proper feedback to redesign it? The headlight update helps, but it's too little, too late.
It's sad really, as the car would be great fun to own/drive. In the end, it just leaves me wanting the old model more.
I have loved this car from the start, and have seen 2 of them out on the road, they are better in person.
Ok. This is going to sound super weird. Once, long before I knew her, my current girlfriend talked to an old man she met on an airplane. He lived in NYC and stored a Morgan. I get the sense that he was probably hitting on her. The moment I heard that story I began a negative association with Morgan. I also hate barns and Torch Lake. And 70% of my daily surroundings .
While I voted yes, I would much rather have the Plus 8. If we're going to have an anachronism in the JFG, I would rather have a true anachronism than a modern driver's car disguised as an anachronism.
@Dick Bento: Most definitely. Perhaps we can lure her in with rumors of a limited edition Jalopnik version of GT5....
@13oostedwgn:
ARRGH beat me to it. Yeah, if you want Brit-DNA BMW-engined goodness, I vote Weismann. If we're going to put a Morgan in the garage, let's put an honest-to-goodness Morgan in there - squared-off and wooden!
I really like this car, I really do, I just don't see it as JFG material. For one, its still in production, for another, its not that expensive in the scheme of things, for another, its not stupidly rare.
The car also doesn't introduce any radical new (to the industry) engineering or design concepts, and even the styling is just a natural evolution of the cars Morgan has been building for 70+ years.
If the Aero 8 goes in, then you essentially have to stick in every single iteration of the Porsche 911 too, and before you know it, you're out of space.
Better add in the R-R Silver Shadow/Bentley T-Series too, because those cars did the exact same thing for Rolls as Morgan has tried with the Aero 8.
a computer designed WOOD frame.
now that is tradition!!!!!!!!
i say yes