Morgan EvaGT Revealed at Monterey

Just the Facts:

• Morgan unveiled its EvaGT four-seat coupe at the Pebble Beach concours.
• Early specs say the car will be powered by BMW's twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 cylinder rated at 306 horsepower.
• The company also revealed that it is developing "electric sports cars."

MONTEREY, California — After a two-month tease, the Morgan Motor Company has finally revealed its latest creation, the Morgan EvaGT, a four-place coupe that the British specialty-car builder describes as "a new concept for a sporting family." The company also revealed that it is developing "electric sports cars."

The EvaGT was previewed initially in a teaser sketch released in June. Another sketch was released last week ahead of the car's formal unveiling at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Morgan also released what it called "provisional" specifications on the EvaGT, confirming that the car will be powered by BMW's twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine, making 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The engine will drive the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. Projected 0-60 acceleration time is 4.5 seconds, with top speed estimated at 170 mph. Morgan anticipates average fuel economy of 33 mpg.

The EvaGT will be built on a derivation of the Morgan Aero SuperSports' bonded-aluminum chassis, fitted with fully independent "intelligent" suspension, as well as antilock brakes and electronic stability control.

Body panels will be made of superformed aluminum, hand-finished and, in the case of larger panels, adhesively bonded to inner panels. Even with features such as power windows and GPS navigation, Morgan is targeting a relatively low curb weight of 2,755 pounds.

The company said it plans to begin production of the initial run of 100 cars in mid-2012 and it has begun taking customer deposits.

As part of its promotional literature, Morgan said its technical team also is developing a high-torque electric motor and a lithium-phosphate battery, presumably for use in a future electric sports car.

Inside Line says: Isn't Tesla already occupying the "green sports car" niche? — Paul Lienert, Correspondent