Morgan Aero 8, Like, Love or Loathe it?

[C R Box]

How do you all rate the Morgan Aero 8 ?
A friends amazed me, by turning up in a used 2002 one. Rechons it cost him 2/3 new price.

Basic spec is:

Cost new circa £60,000 sterling
Radical all aluminium chassis and coachwork
BMW Z8 286bhp V8 + 6 speed
Kerb weight 1000Kg (less than a Mini Cooper)
Air con, leather std.
Leaky rag top and virtually no rear ward vision.
Works car entered Le mans this year but sadly didn't complete enough laps to be classed as finisher


After having driven the thing, I have to say I couldn't have been more wrong about what this car actually offers.
How do you all view this car and what does it say about the driver. Also why are used values so low ( for a Morgan)?

[garcon]

If you want a "characterful" British sports car, it's possibly the ultimate choice. Clearly not short on performance, and pretty exclusive.

But I'm afraid I still can't get past that cross-eyed front end.

[429CJ]

I think, I'd rather have more classical looking Roadster with Ford 3 liter Duratec V6 - same as in ST220 Mondeo.

http://www.carfolio.com/specificatio.../id/?id=120516

[Bluebottle]

As far as looks go, it's great from the back and from the side (Although I'd put a larger window in the hood.... but then again hoods are for wimps.....) but the front just looks plain wrong- it looks as if its dirven into something!!
I'd love to have a drive in one, and several other Morgans for comparason!

[C R Box]

Actually driving the car was the revelation. The integrity of the chassis is what stikes you most. It's so stiff no rattles at all, corners flat, despite no a/r bars.. Lazy V8 is like an auto. Doesn't realy neeed the confusing (initially) six speed manual.
Cockpit is pointlessly cramped.It's very very difficult to judge cars width, everything falls away and theres virtually no rearward vision as you have observed. Also theres no body protection, so parallel parking might be difficult and possibly embarrassing.
Otherwise I really envy the owner. MIne would have the Le Mans hardtop though, for evryday use.
I think the cars good enough as a GT in it's own right, not just as a ragtop.

[ss_collins]

The car is great bar one thing those dammned headlights - they are just misplaced

[SALEEN S7R]

The car IMO is a pretty good all round car, a bit on the ugly side but well its British and is pretty fast. Still, if u gave me a choice between a Morgan and a Caterham R400, id go for the Caterham every time.

[Aysedasi]

Not ugly at all - different. Yeh, I like it.

[ASCII Man]

I think it looks great actually, even the headlights look quite good.

[krt917]

Crazy talk!!

I'm sure the car is very good and I'm glad they're making it, but the car is too ugly for words. The back is bad, but the front end takes the biscuit. I seem to recall someone describing it as the early Plus 8 which had been heated to melting point (ignore the wood factor here!) and then driven straight into a tree. Sounds about right to me.

If I had £60,000 to spend, I expect there would be 100 cars I'd rather buy.

But, as I said, none of that prevents it from being good to drive. It does have a decent engine, after all....

[sjw75]

I think it looks cross eyed !!!

Simon.

[DAVID PATERSON]

An Australian motoring journalist nicknamed it "Clarence the cross-eyed Lion." I think he hit the nail right on the head.

[Dani Filth]

i like the aero 8 ..

[ASCII Man]

Oh, thank god i'm not the only one....

[Cynic]

First time I saw it I thought it was the uggliest motor on the planet (at least until Renault face-lifted the Megane), but now I quite like it. It may be wierd but at least it stands out.

[Carse]

If i was going to buy a £60k british sports car, mine would be of the 3 ltr. twin turbo noble variety, and i would spend the change on new brakes and tires for a track day!

[SL]

There is a really nice Aero 8 up on Ebay in a few weeks time, expect to pay a little more than 60K though, upwards of 150K might secure it.

Fully race prepared, for Le Mans, no less, the 2004 race care is being put up for auction. 4.5l BMW V8 465bhp at 6800 powering about 1100kg. Expect to reach 190mph very quickly !

Race engine costs about 70K and will last (hopefully) 30 hours, so you could drive it to Sarthe, race it and limp home.

I was going to put in a bid but there is nowhere for the shopping to go !

Simon

[Mike_Wooshy]

well as its built local for me (in the same county) I love it !!!!, everyone says it looks ugly but i like it (stone me to death now !!!) its fast its cool and id love one on my drive just to annoy my neighbour with his lancer evo 5.