Category Archives: Miscellaneous News

An inside look at the making of an automotive icon from specification sheet to finished car. https://thenewswheel.com/

The Morgan Motor Company is a David among an industry of Goliaths. England’s last independent, privately-owned automaker has been resistant to the changing production methods and neutered styles of the modern automotive industry–despite being advised to “get with the times.”

This high-end automaker has established a consistent identity for nearly a century as a producer of new, vintage cars that are built by people, not machines. Its lineup of unique, highly-customizable models includes the 3 Wheeler, 4/4, Plus 4, Roadster, Plus 8, and AERO8.

To immortalize the spirit of the Morgan, a husband-and-wife duo have witnessed and chronicled the production of a Morgan Plus 4 at the company’s Malvern factory. Making a Morgan: 17 Days of Craftsmanship captures the inner secrets of Morgan production, from the chassis to the suspension to the English ash wooden frame. It’s a testament not just to the Morgan car but to those who invest their time, skill, and livelihood into its heritage.

Synopsis
Making a Morgan is divided into two sections: “The Morgan Story” and “Making a Morgan.”

The first portion, 50 pages titled “The Morgan Story,” chronicles the company’s formation and early years, even back to the Morgan family’s beginnings in 1534. This detailed history is filled with familial anecdotes, rare insights, and Morgan family photos. But, it’s not just a genealogy; readers will quickly notice the principles of the company throughout its history–the belief that making a product is about love, not money.

The second half, “Making a Morgan,” plays out like a journal or narrated television documentary. The authors spend 17 work days (May 4-26, 2015) witnessing the construction of a Morgan Plus 4 by the hands of lifelong master craftsmen. From the first order to heading for dealership delivery, the journey of a car within this secretive factory is narrated and photographed in a way you can envision as you read. Profiles on craftsmen are included, whose work is tied to the brand’s family-run legacy.

A quote from the prologue sums the book up nicely: “Whether or not the reader possesses a Morgan, or if, after reading this book, you might consider purchasing one, or if you would simply like to be present at the creation of one of these fascinating automobiles—we invite you, via this book, to experience a unique and exceedingly vibrant piece of automotive history.”

Product Quality
The front of Making a Morgan is simply gorgeous. The choice and placement of the finished Morgan on the cover is eye-catching and contrasts perfectly to its visually textured background. The book’s cover is very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, though, so it behooves the reader to take extra care so it doesn’t warp like our copy began to.

Inside, the book contains 160 sturdy pages with around 380 crisp images showing details of the car’s creation. Sections are divided into short six-page entries, with each page containing 33% text and 67% photographs. The text is spread out into 2-to-3-sentence paragraphs that are easy to skim and don’t look congested (like most coffee table books). The sentences are short, conveying the intent and important ideas in a casual tone.

The pictures even contain captions that reiterate what’s going on in them, for those of us who don’t know much about manufacturing.

Overall Review
From my perspective, this is probably the best testament to the Morgan you can find in book form. It provides both a large context to the company and a chronicle of the minute details of the cars. Together, those aspects capture the spirit of what makes Morgans special. You can sense the respectful attitude in the tone, a perspective that is imparted to the reader rather than forced on.

Making a Morgan is written by observant, thoughtful authors who deftly make the subject matter comprehensible to the reader. Seeing hand-built production of the classically-styled Morgan documented in such detail is humbling. We can all learn from it–driving isn’t just about selling cars to make money; it’s about the joy of driving. That’s what makes the Morgan–and this book–a work of art.

The price of the book is high for anyone unfamiliar with the brand, but it’s a must-have for Morgan fans (who should have pre-ordered their copies by now). Still, even if a naive reader like me who didn’t know anything about the Morgan Company can appreciate this testament to the brand, surely anyone can.

Making a Morgan: 17 Days of Craftsmanship:
Step-by-Step from Specification Sheet to Finished Car
Written and Photographed by Andreas Hensing & Dagmar Hensing
Product Details: Hardcover, 160 pages, 11.5 x 9.8 inches
Price: $75.00 / £40.00 (plus applicable postage fees)
Publication Date: October 2015
ISBN: 978-1-845848-73-6

Morgan has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of Dennis de Roos as Commercial Director.

Having previously worked in senior roles at Saab, General Motors and Club Car, Dennis has extensive Sales and Marketing experience. With strong attributes in Network Development, Dennis will be working closely with Morgan’s Global Dealer Network and also managing commercial opportunities for the Morgan brand.

Steve Morris, Managing Director of Morgan, said: “Dennis brings a wealth of experience to the role with exceptional skills in Sales and Marketing. Dennis’s role will see him work closely with our retails partners, and I look forward to assisting him in strengthening our Global Dealer Network.”

Commenting on his new position, Dennis said: “I’m delighted to have been selected for this exciting role and to have a unique opportunity as part of the next chapter in Morgan’s development and growth. Morgan is an iconic British brand with a long tradition of manufacturing highly desirable sports cars and I look forward to becoming part of the team, working closely with the Global Dealer Network.”

Dennis will be based at the Morgan factory in Malvern and starts in June.

For the first time since 2005, Morgan will be able to import a traditional bodied Morgan back into the USA. These will likely be the +4 and V6 Roadster models. The latter will be offered either as a 2 seater or a 4 seater. Yes, you will now be able to get a new Morgan 4 seater!

Last December, the Congress passed the Transportation Bill which included a segment for “replica vehicles”. Any vehicle not produced within the last 25 years along with an EPA certified engine will now be allowed to be registered as a “replica vehicle”. They are exempt from the standard safety regulations (airbags, side impact crash test, 50mph rear crash test, etc) which kept Morgan out of the US market for the last decade.

The EPA has yet to set their specific regulations (they had 12 months to do so once the law was signed) and once that is done, Morgan can then develop their engine management system to comply with those regulations.

We expect to be able to accept orders and deposits beginning this summer, however it would be a good idea to get on our wait list! You can do that either by e-mail, phone or registering on our website right from the home page.

Any questions? Please feel free to give us a call! Best to Everyone!

Linda & Larry Eckler Morgan Motors of New England 518-329-3877

Morgan Technologies Limited is delighted to announce the appointment of new company Chairman, Dominic Riley. Dominic joins the 107 year old family owned firm from June, taking over from Andrew Duncan, who will remain as a Non-Executive Director of the family trust.

“We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dominic Riley to the board of Morgan Technologies.  Dominic brings enormous skill and experience of a wide range of industries that will complement the existing team going forward.  Dominic joins as Chairman-designate for a 3 month period during which he will work closely alongside myself before taking over the Chairman’s role that I have held over recent years.  At the end of this period I will step back whilst remaining a non-executive Director of the company.  It has been a pleasure to see the progress made over the last few years and I wish Dominic luck and the company every success going forward.”

Andrew Duncan, Chairman of Morgan Technologies Limited

 

“Having made some tremendous progress with Andrew and the rest of the board over recent years I would first like to thank him and wish him well for the future, he has been a tremendous support to myself and the team.  Looking to the future I am excited to have someone of Dominic’s calibre joining the board to help us continue to improve and grow the business.  The opportunity for Morgan is enormous, with new models and power-train developments already announced, we have plenty more in the pipeline and continue to work more closely with all our partners delivering cars that people love.”

Steve Morris, Managing Director Morgan Technologies Limited

 

“The shareholders and board would like to echo Andrew and Steve’s welcome to Dominic, we are very excited about his appointment and look forward to working together.  We also feel that it is an appropriate time to thank Andrew for his very significant contribution to the company, over the last 2 years as Chairman, and over the last 3 decades as a trusted advisor and friend to my father, Peter Morgan, and also to our family and the company.  Whilst Andrew recently turned 70 years old, we look forward to continuing to work together in his ongoing capacity as non-executive Director and trustee, and also to sharing many more social events that make up the Morgan calendar.”

Jill Price, Shareholder, Director and grand-daughter of HFS Morgan