Morgan Motor Company facts for kids
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The Morgan factory on Pickersleigh Road, Malvern
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Formerly
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Morgan Technologies Limited (2010–2018) |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Motoring |
| Founded | 1910 |
| Founder | H. F. S. Morgan |
| Headquarters | , |
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Key people
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| Products | Motor cars |
| Revenue | (All divisions) £26 million (UK Companies House 2015 Financials) |
| Owner |
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Number of employees
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250 (Miscellany, April 2023) |
The Morgan Motor Company Limited is a British car maker. It is known for building unique sports cars. The company was started in 1910 by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan. Morgan is based in Malvern Link, a town in Malvern, Worcestershire, England.
About 220 people work at Morgan. They make around 850 cars each year. What makes Morgan cars special is that they are mostly built by hand. Also, wood has been used in their frames for over 100 years, even today! Sometimes, people have to wait a long time for a Morgan car, even up to ten years.
You can visit the Morgan factory to learn about its history. There is a museum with old cars and information about how cars have changed over time. You can also take a guided tour to see how these special cars are made.
Contents
The Story of Morgan Cars
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Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, or H.F.S. Morgan, started the company. He left his job at the Great Western Railway in 1904. Then, he opened a garage in Malvern Link to sell and fix cars. In 1909, he designed and built a car just for himself. He also created the first independent front suspension system.
A year later, in 1910, he started making cars for others. The company grew quickly. Before World War I, they made almost 1000 three-wheeled cars. After the war, they continued making both racing and touring models. Morgan's first car with four wheels came out in 1935. Three-wheeled cars were stopped in 1952. H.F.S. Morgan led the company until he passed away in 1959.
In 1990, a TV show called Troubleshooter looked at the company. The host, Sir John Harvey-Jones, suggested that Morgan should use more modern ways to build cars. He also thought they should make cars faster to reduce the long waiting list. But Morgan decided to stick to their traditional ways. They believed that building cars by hand and having a waiting list made their cars special. It also helped them during tough economic times. After the show, more people wanted Morgan cars! Sir John later said he was happy to be proven wrong about Morgan.
H.F.S. Morgan's son, Peter Morgan, took over the company. He ran it until a few years before he died in 2003. For most of its history, the Morgan family owned the company. However, in 2019, an Italian investment group called Investindustrial bought most of the company. The Morgan family still owns a small part of it.
Early Cars: Three-Wheelers and 4/4s
Early Morgan cars often had three wheels. These were called cyclecars. Three-wheeled vehicles were popular because they were taxed as motorcycles in Britain. This made them cheaper than four-wheeled cars. But then, small, affordable cars like the Austin 7 came out. These cars were more comfortable and had similar prices. This made three-wheelers less popular.
V-Twin Three-Wheelers (1911–1939)
H.F.S. Morgan's first car design was a single-seat, three-wheeled car called a runabout. He built it for himself in 1908. It had a Peugeot engine from a motorcycle. The car had a special frame called a backbone chassis, which Morgan used for all his three-wheelers. It also had a unique front suspension system.
In 1910, Morgan started making these cars for sale. He showed three single-seater cars at a motor show in London. People were interested, but he realized a two-seater car was needed. So, he built one in 1911. A famous store in London, Harrod's, even sold the Morgan car. It was the only car ever shown in a Harrods shop window!
Morgan Motor Company officially became a company in 1912. H.F.S. Morgan was the managing director, and his father was the first chairman. Morgan cars became famous through racing. In 1913, a Morgan won the Cyclecar Grand Prix in France. This success led to new models like the 'Grand Prix', 'Aero', and 'Sports'.
These early cars used motorcycle engines. They were placed at the front of the car. After World War I, Morgan added an easy-to-change rear wheel. This was something customers wanted. The 1921 Popular model was a big success. It was affordable and sold very well.
Over the years, Morgan added new features like electric headlamps and front-wheel brakes. They also offered electric start as an option. Morgan three-wheelers were popular because they had a very low yearly tax. This made them cheaper to own than many four-wheeled cars.
F-Series Three-Wheelers (1932–1952)
In 1933, Morgan introduced the F-4 model. This car had a new steel frame and a four-cylinder Ford engine. It could seat four people. Later, they made the two-seat F-2 in 1935. The F Super, a sportier model, came out in 1937. Morgan continued to make these Ford-engined three-wheelers until 1952.
The First Four-Wheeler: Morgan 4/4
Morgan's first car with four wheels was called the 4/4. It was named this because it had a four-cylinder engine and four wheels. It came out in 1936. This car had a Coventry Climax engine. It was very popular, and a four-seat model was added in 1937. A convertible version was also made in 1938.
When Coventry Climax stopped making engines, Morgan switched to using a Ford engine. In 1938, a 4/4 car raced in the famous Le Mans race. This led Morgan to make special versions of the car that looked like the race car.
Modern Morgan Cars
Morgan +4
The Morgan +4 was launched in 1950. It was a "plus" car because it had a bigger engine than the 4/4. It first used a Standard Vanguard engine. Over the years, the +4 used engines from Triumph and Rover. Production of the +4 stopped in 1969, but it came back in 1985. It stopped again and then returned in 2004 with a Ford engine.
A special limited edition of the Plus 4, called the Plus 4 Super Sports, was made in 2014. Only 60 of these cars were built.
Morgan +4+
From 1964 to 1967, Morgan made a special version of the +4 called the +4+. This car had a body made of fibreglass. It was lighter and faster than the regular +4. However, many traditional Morgan fans did not like this new look. Only 26 of these cars were built, even though 50 were planned.
Morgan 4/4 (Modern)
Production of the 4/4 stopped during World War II. It started again after the war. It stopped again in 1950 when the Standard engine was no longer available. But it restarted in 1955 with a Ford engine. The 4/4 is still made today. It now uses the same frame as the +8 model and a Ford engine.
Morgan +8
In 1968, Morgan started putting Rover V8 engines into their cars. These cars were called the "+8". The V8 engine was much bigger and more powerful than the old four-cylinder engines. But it was not heavier! This made the +8 cars much faster and better to drive. The +8 could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 5.6 seconds. The +8 model was made until 2004 and then again from 2012 to 2019.
Morgan Roadster
In 2004, Morgan introduced the Roadster. This car had a traditional look, like the older models. It replaced the +8. The first Roadsters had a Ford V6 engine. Later models used different Ford engines, becoming more powerful. The newest model is called the Roadster 3.7.
Morgan Aero 8
The Morgan Aero 8 was launched in 2000. It still used ash wood for parts of its body, but its main frame was made of strong, light aluminium. The Aero 8 has a powerful BMW V8 engine. It is very fast, like a supercar. The newest Aero 8, released in 2015, has 367 horsepower. It can go from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. The company stopped making the Aero 8 in 2009 but brought it back in 2015.
Morgan AeroMax
The AeroMax was a special, limited edition car. Only 100 were made between 2008 and 2010. It was a coupé version of the Aero 8. Famous people like Richard Hammond and Rowan Atkinson owned an AeroMax.
Morgan Aero SuperSports
The Morgan Aero SuperSports is a car with a special roof that can be partly removed. It shares its strong aluminium frame with the AeroMax. This model was shown in 2009.
Morgan Aero Coupé
The Morgan Aero Coupé is a hard-top version of the Aero SuperSports. It also uses the same aluminium frame and engine. It was launched in 2011.
Morgan Plus 8 (New)
The new Morgan Plus 8, launched in 2011, has a classic body style. But underneath, it shares the modern aluminium frame and engine with the Aero SuperSports and Aero Coupé. Morgan announced that this model would stop being made in 2019.
Morgan Plus E
The Morgan Plus E was an electric version of a classic Morgan car. It was a project with other companies and was shown in 2012. However, this electric car was never made and the project was stopped.
Morgan Eva GT
The Morgan Eva GT was planned to be a larger, four-seat car. It would have used a BMW engine. It was shown as a clay model in 2010. Morgan planned to use new magnesium technology for its body. However, the Eva GT project was cancelled.
Morgan 3-Wheeler
In 2011, Morgan announced a new "3-Wheeler" car. It was shown at the Geneva Motor Show. This car had an S&S V-twin engine, like a motorcycle. It also had a Mazda manual gearbox. The car was very light, weighing about 550 kilograms. It could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 4.5 seconds. Its top speed was around 115 miles per hour.
The Morgan 3-Wheeler was featured on the TV show Top Gear. Presenter Richard Hammond chose it in a comparison of track cars. Top Gear magazine even named it "Not-A-Car of the Year 2011".
Morgan SP1
In 2014, Morgan showed the Morgan SP1. This was a special, one-of-a-kind car built by Morgan's new Special Projects division. It was a coupé and used the same Ford V6 engine as the Morgan Roadster. Its outside look was inspired by an earlier Morgan concept car. Its unique wooden frame was made from ash and African Bubinga wood.
Morgan Plus Six
The Morgan Plus Six was revealed in 2019. It has a new, modern aluminium frame. It also has a new suspension system. The Plus Six is powered by a BMW turbocharged six-cylinder engine. This engine makes 335 horsepower. It comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Morgan Plus Four
The Morgan Plus Four was shown online in 2020. Like the Plus Six, it uses the new "CX-Generation" aluminium frame and modern suspension. The Plus Four has a BMW turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This engine produces 255 horsepower. You can choose between a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Morgans in the United States
For some time in the 1950s and 1960s, the United States was Morgan's biggest market. Up to 85% of all Morgan cars were sold there. But this changed in 1971 when the US brought in new safety and pollution rules for cars.
For many years, Morgans imported into the US had to be changed to run on propane fuel. This helped them meet the pollution rules. These changes were done by the car dealers, not the factory.
In 2005, Morgan's right to import its classic models stopped. This was because a special airbag needed for the cars was no longer made. Morgan tried to get an exception from the US government, but it was not allowed. So, importing classic Morgans stopped.
However, in 2012, the new Morgan 3-Wheeler was shown at the New York International Auto Show. This was the first time Morgan had a presence at a big US car show in 10 years. The Morgan 3-Wheeler was even called one of the "Hottest Cars Of The Show." Later, a Morgan 3-Wheeler was driven across the US in a famous race called the Gumball 3000. It won a special award there.
How Morgan Cars Are Made
Morgan cars have always been known for their sporty performance. This is because they are very light. Even though they look traditional, they are built to be fast.
Among fans in Australia, Morgan cars are sometimes called "Moggies."
Special Suspension System
H.F.S. Morgan's first car in 1909 used a special front suspension system. It's called sliding pillar suspension. Each front wheel moves up and down on a fixed pole. This helps the wheel stay in contact with the road better.
Morgan has used improved versions of this suspension system for a very long time. It was used on Morgan's "classic" cars. However, this system is no longer used on the newer Aero 8 models or the latest Plus Six and Plus Four cars. The classic line of Morgans with this suspension was stopped in 2019.
Models Made by Morgan
- 1909 Runabout
- 1911–1939 V-Twin 3-wheeler
- 1932–1952 F-Series 3-wheeler
- 1936–2019 4/4 Two-Seater and Four-Seater
- 1950–1969 Plus 4
- 1964–1967 Plus 4 Plus
- 1965-1967 Morgan +4 Competition two seater
- 1968–2004 (and 2012–19) Plus 8
- 1985–2000 Plus 4
- 2001–2009 Aero 8
- 2004–2012 V6 Roadster
- 2005–present Plus 4
- 2006–cancelled Morgan LIFEcar
- 2008–2009 AeroMax
- 2009–present Morgan 4/4 Sport
- 2010–2015 Aero SuperSports
- 2010–cancelled Morgan Eva GT
- 2011–cancelled Morgan Plus E
- 2011–2012 Morgan Plus 4 Supersports
- 2011–present Morgan Anniversary 4/4
- 2012–2015 Aero Coupe
- 2012–2021 Morgan 3-Wheeler
- 2012–2019 Morgan Aero 8
- 2012–present Roadster 3.7
- 2015–2019 Morgan Aero 8
- 2018 Morgan EV3
- 2019–present Morgan Plus Six
- 2020–present Morgan Plus Four
- 2022–present Morgan Super 3
Morgan in Racing
Morgan cars have taken part in many types of motorsport. This includes local club races and big events like the Le Mans 24-hour race. One famous Morgan race car was the Aero 8 GT. It raced in Britcar events in 2008, including the Britcar 24-hour race at Silverstone.
In 2012, a racing team called Pescarolo Sport used the Morgan name for their Le Mans Prototype car. This was to celebrate 50 years since a Morgan Plus Four Super Sports won its class at Le Mans.
Images for kids
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The unique Morgan Plus 4 Plus.
See also
In Spanish: Morgan Motor Company para niños
- List of car manufacturers of the United Kingdom
- List of motorized trikes
