Morgan Midsummer is British-Italian beauty
Barchetta look for Morgan Midsummer
The Morgan Midsummer is recognizable by its typical barchetta (“boat”) design. At the base of the Midsummer is Morgan’s latest CX-Generation Bonded Aluminum Platform. Under the hood is a turbocharged six-cylinder engine with eight-speed automatic transmission, sourced from BMW.
Design boss Morgan speaking
Jonathan Wells, Chief Design Officer at Morgan Motor Company, said, “The Midsummer showcases the flexibility of the Morgan silhouette, presenting a vehicle that is striking in its appearance and unmistakably a Morgan. A celebration of coachbuilding that combines the expertise, story and creativity of both Morgan and Pininfarina to deliver a seamless balance between tradition and progress.”
Visible wood
A striking design detail of the Midsummer is the use of wood on the exterior of the car. Wood has always played a crucial role in Morgan’s designs, but until now it has only been used as a material for the frame, upon which the handmade aluminum sheet metal parts were placed. As a result, the wood was not visible from the outside. With the Midsummer, it is different.
The distinctive “barchetta” shape allows the shoulder line to be emphasized with wood. This is not only a challenge and a wonderful way for the craftsmen who build each Morgan by hand to showcase their skills, but also a tribute to the material Morgan has relied on for so long. From the very beginning of the project, it was clear to Pininfarina that wood would have a visible role in the design.
Unique 19-inch wheels
But there is more. The Midsummer exudes exclusivity in every detail, like a timeless style icon. For example, the forged 19-inch wheels designed specifically for this model. Weighing only ten pounds, they are more than three pounds lighter than the wheels of the Plus Six.
Morgan’s new headlights, featuring silver detailing, flank the horseshoe-shaped grille. A crescent-shaped wind deflector at the base of the nose provides additional airflow to the grille. Small vertical vents next to the grille provide additional cooling and air conduction.
Interior Morgan Midsummer
The Midsummer’s elegance is further emphasized by a longer rear end, a typical style feature of Pininfarina designs from the late 1930s and early 1940s. In the interior, the analog clocks immediately catch the eye. At a time when digital screens are the norm, handmade counters offer a soothing sight. The steering wheel is newly designed with a heart of forged aluminum. In addition, the Midsummer benefits from an optional upgraded Sennheiser audio system with new control knobs.
Hand beaten aluminum body parts
The Midsummer has more handmade parts than other Morgans, making the construction process more complex. Manufacturing the hand-beaten aluminum body parts takes more than 250 hours per car. This ensures that production of a Midsummer will take longer at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road plant, where production will begin in the third quarter of 2024.
Why the name Midsummer?
Morgan drew inspiration for the name Midsummer from two sources. On the one hand, Midsummer refers to mid-summer, the peak of the season when the weather is perfect for experiencing an open sports car. On the other hand, Midsummer has a geographical meaning: Midsummer Hill. Midsummer Hill is part of the Malvern Hills, a vast hilly landscape deeply woven into Morgan’s DNA, whose peaks offer stunning views of Pickersleigh Road, home to Morgan since 1914.
50 pieces, all already sold
Only 50 Midsummers will be built by Morgan, almost all of which have already been sold during exclusive preview sessions. Each buyer personally coordinates the details of his or her Midsummer with the Morgan designers, making each one unique. Production will begin during 2024, Morgan’s 115th anniversary year, and continue through 2025. Some Midsummers will also be seen in the Netherlands. Those who want to see the Midsummer in real life can admire the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2024.
