New Brit: New Morgan EvaGT to Launch at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Change comes very slowly to Britain’s Morgan Motor Company -- but the 98-year-old sports car manufacturer appears to be making good on its promise of debuting a new car every two years, starting in 2010. The first, dubbed the EvaGT, is previewed here, and will debut at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.



For the most part, the EvaGT appears to be an evolution of the company’s Aero Supersports model. Unlike that two-seater coupe, the EvaGT is a 2+2, which Morgan hopes allows it to appeal to “young families” along with its traditional customer base. We’ve only been given the rendering above, but the boy looks somewhat similar to that of the SuperSports, albeit it is considerably longer, given the extra pair of seats. The new body is still crafted from superformed aluminum panels, and has been designed to reduce drag with small panel gaps, flush door handles, and hidden windshield wipers.

Underneath that slinky skin is a chassis structure we first saw on Morgan’s Aero SuperSports GT3 racer, before trickling down to the roadgoing SuperSports. The chassis is crafted from bonded aluminum panels, eschewing traditional rivets and fasteners in favor of a strong adhesive polymer. Morgan says the EvaGT’s chassis is an evolution of this design, and offers both increased rigidity and improved handling over the Aero SuperSports.


Once again, a BMW engine winds its way into the slender engine compartment, although it isn’t the V-8 found in the SuperSports. Although it is subject to change before hitting the market, it appears the EvaGT will use BMW’s new “N55” 3.0-liter turbocharged I-6. For now, it seems Morgan is leaving the engine in its stock form, allowing it to deliver 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque -- which should be more than sufficient to rocket the lightweight coupe from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. A standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic transmission will channel power to the rear wheels.

Morgan’s new EvaGT will first be shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this August, and the company will begin taking orders and deposits at the show. A £5000 ($7300) deposit is required to reserve a car -- and if you’re interested, you’d better act fast. Morgan plans on building a limited run 100 examples in 2012, with a price tag said to be “competitive for a car of this class.” We’d wager pricing will start just above the Aero SuperSports, which starts at roughly $185,000.

Source: Morgan