2005 MORGAN AERO 8 NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE

What's New for the 2005 Morgan Aero 8?
Last year, for the first time in more than 50 years, British sports car maker Morgan introduced a new model. Now, the 2005 Morgan Aero 8 makes its way to the USA, replacing the creaky old Morgan Plus 8 and moving solidly into the 21st Century with a BMW V8 engine, a four-wheel-independent suspension, 18-inch wheels, an aluminum chassis and body panels, and a more comfortable cabin. Loyalists need not worry: Morgan still uses wood in the Aero 8's construction.

Advantages of the 2005 Morgan Aero 8:

• Ultra exclusivity
• BMW V8 engine

Objections to the 2005 Morgan Aero 8:

• No stability or traction control
• Limited cargo space
• Manual convertible top
• Cross-eyed headlamps

Editor's Advice:
With the demise of the classic Morgan Plus 8 at the end of 2004, a new car arrives in the U.S. to take its place. Priced close to $100,000 and available to just 100 American customers each year, the new Morgan Aero 8 is a far more advanced machine than the ancient Plus 8. Rather than employ a lackluster V8 derived from a 1960s Buick engine, as the Morgan Plus 8 did, the 2004 Morgan Aero 8 is powered by a stout 4.4-liter V8 engine sourced from BMW. This engine employs BMW's Double VANOS Valvetronic technology to generate 325bhp at 6,100 rpm and 330 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,600 rpm. A six-speed manual transmission transfers the power to the Morgan Aero 8's rear wheels, getting the 2,500-pound British roadster to 60 mph in about 4.9 seconds and allowing this aerodynamically challenged sports car to achieve a 160-mph top speed. Variable ratio rack-and-pinion steering guides 18-inch alloy wheels wearing Pirelli 245/45 performance tires. A fully independent double wishbone suspension is equipped with Eibach springs and Koni shocks, and the Morgan Aero 8 is brought to a stop by AP Racing 350mm front and 332mm rear ventilated disc antilock brakes. A limited slip rear differential and tire pressure sensors also come standard. Replacing the Plus 8's steel frame is an aluminum alloy chassis, but the traditional ash wood body shell remains – aluminum body panels are attached to this advanced application of timber in modern auto production. Wood is also applied to the cabin, which is wider in the U.S.-specification Aero 8 than models sold in Europe and other parts of the world. A manual convertible top or an available hardtop covers the leather-upholstered interior of the Morgan Aero 8. Styling recalls the Plus 8 in terms of character and proportion, but it's clear that this is a more modern interpretation of the classic English roadster. In case you're wondering, Volkswagen supplies those odd-looking headlights – they're the same units found on the New Beetle. Contact Isis Motors in San Francisco if you need to park a Morgan Aero 8 in your garage.