Morgan's beautiful beast

Expert Rating:

What is it?

The Aeromax is unmistakably a Morgan; the silhouette follows the company's familiar lines with flowing front wings rising over the wheels and sweeping back to the rear. The classic grille and proportions are also recognisably from the Malvern Link firm, though the Aeromax looks like a Morgan taken from the pages of a graphic novel. There's a purity and modernity to its flowing lines that's at odds with its classic proportions. It's an unusual and beguiling fusion of classic and modern styling that works fantastically.

Creation of this coupé-version of the Aero roadster is the stuff of automotive fairytale. Conceived by a wealthy banker commissioning a one-off coupé from Morgan, the company just happened to have been sent a set of drawings of such a car from an automotive design student. The result was shown at the Geneva Motorshow in 2005, and subsequently the one-off was put into a limited 100-run production series.

Is it any good?

The Aero roadster from which the Aeromax is derived is a real automotive oddity. It might look like a 1930's throwback but it's thoroughly modern underneath. Unsurprisingly the Aeromax is the same, power coming from the same 4.8-litre V8 engine borrowed from BMW. Its 367bhp is enough to provide hefty BMW saloons with scintillating performance, so it's hardly surprising that in the 1,200kg Aeromax it delivers some serious punch. The Morgan will cover the 0-62mph sprint in a scant 4.5 seconds and is capable of 170mph. It's more than just a brawny coupé though, as there's real precision to the way it drives.

Its steering is nicely weighted and full of information and the Aeromax rides beautifully even on our badly surfaced roads. The effortless flexibility of that big capacity V8 means it's a consummate GT car too, though has the ability to really thrill when the mood takes you. The interior shares that strange mix of modernity and classic appeal, the mix of leather, brushed metal and wood executed to perfection. The hinges that hold up the butterfly-effect rear windows are so beautiful they're like mechanical sculpture and the Aeromax features a number of details that'll draw you in and captivate your senses. None more so than that engine. From inside it's civilised, but open the window and you'll immediately be reminded of its aural potency as its deep, bass sound ricochets off buildings as you pass them. For all its power it's never scary though, the Aeromax so naturally poised and controlled that even when the tyres relinquish their grip it's easily gathered up. There's a manual gearbox option, but the automatic is the better choice as it frees up space in the otherwise cramped footwell. Indeed, the Aeromax is not perhaps the easiest car to get in if you're less than snake-hipped in stature, but squeeze in and it's well worth the effort.

Should I call the bank manager?

The man who commissioned the Aeromax is the bank manager - the type of bank where account holders are invited and have balances many small countries would be happy with. For a hand-built, limited run performance car with the sort of pace that the Aeromax offers the circa £100,000 Morgan asks for it is actually something of a steal. With only 100 being built and each and every one of them certain to be cherished it's likely that it'll be a rock-solid investment for those buying it too. Running costs won't be too cheap though, as it likes a drop of fuel, but let's be serious here: if you can afford to spend £100k on a limited-run, hand-built car then the occasional stop at the fuel pumps isn't going to cause you any problems at all.

Summary

Morgan's Aeromax is a stunning looking car. But it's more than just automotive eye-candy; there's real depth to its ability. The 100 people who are lucky enough to have their orders down are in for a real treat, as the Aeromax is one of the most enjoyable and beguilingly beautiful cars that we've driven in a long time.

Kyle Fortune