What Is It?
2004 Morgan Aero 8
What's Special About It?
This odd mix of old and new represents the first entirely new model from the small English manufacturer in over 50 years. It blends the classic styling of Morgans past with modern aerodynamics to create a look that's, well…unique to say the least. Priced at nearly $100,000, this roadster was designed to compete with the world's finest drop tops in both exclusivity and performance.
With a skeleton of aluminum tubes connected to aluminum body panels, the Aero 8 is both incredibly stiff and extremely lightweight. Fully loaded, the Aero weighs in at just over 2,200 pounds — that's 1,000 pounds less than Acura's aluminum sports car, the NSX. Powering this featherweight is a BMW-built 4.0-liter V8 rated to produce 286 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission handles the gear changes while a fully independent suspension replete with Koni shocks and Eibach springs smoothes out the ride. Combine all this with 18-inch magnesium wheels wrapped in low-profile 18-inch tires and the Aero 8's performance potential is scary.
Less frightening is the Aero's cabin as it features wood accents and soft leather upholstery. A manually folding convertible top comes standard but a more protective hardtop is also available. Should such a blend of traditional accommodations and modern performance seem appealing to you, the Aero 8 is expected to reach U.S. shores for the first time this spring.
What's Edmunds' Take?
If you're one of the rare souls on this earth who not only likes the styling of the Aero 8 and has the means to buy it, by all means do so. But our less discriminating tastes lead us to the conclusion that there are several other six-figure roadsters we would rather have before taking the plunge with this English oddity. — Ed Hellwig
2004 Morgan Aero 8
What's Special About It?
This odd mix of old and new represents the first entirely new model from the small English manufacturer in over 50 years. It blends the classic styling of Morgans past with modern aerodynamics to create a look that's, well…unique to say the least. Priced at nearly $100,000, this roadster was designed to compete with the world's finest drop tops in both exclusivity and performance.
With a skeleton of aluminum tubes connected to aluminum body panels, the Aero 8 is both incredibly stiff and extremely lightweight. Fully loaded, the Aero weighs in at just over 2,200 pounds — that's 1,000 pounds less than Acura's aluminum sports car, the NSX. Powering this featherweight is a BMW-built 4.0-liter V8 rated to produce 286 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission handles the gear changes while a fully independent suspension replete with Koni shocks and Eibach springs smoothes out the ride. Combine all this with 18-inch magnesium wheels wrapped in low-profile 18-inch tires and the Aero 8's performance potential is scary.
Less frightening is the Aero's cabin as it features wood accents and soft leather upholstery. A manually folding convertible top comes standard but a more protective hardtop is also available. Should such a blend of traditional accommodations and modern performance seem appealing to you, the Aero 8 is expected to reach U.S. shores for the first time this spring.
What's Edmunds' Take?
If you're one of the rare souls on this earth who not only likes the styling of the Aero 8 and has the means to buy it, by all means do so. But our less discriminating tastes lead us to the conclusion that there are several other six-figure roadsters we would rather have before taking the plunge with this English oddity. — Ed Hellwig
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