Morgan races to a comeback

British niche sports car maker Morgan is about to make an historic return to motor sport at this year’s Le Mans 24 hour race in France.

Morgan has teamed up with French race car designers and builders Oak Racing to enter the 2012 World Endurance Championship. The company hopes to emulate the performance of a Morgan Super Sport that scored a class win at the Le Mans 24 hour race in 1962.

The car is a Morgan-badged version of the LMP2 Oak-Pescarolo 01 endurance car that finished fifth in its class at the Le Mans 24 hour last year.

The chairman of Morgan Motor Company Charles Morgan said “I am thrilled to be able to announce our partnership with Jacques Nicolet and Oak Racing. It is a source of great pride that we have the opportunity to work with a racing car designer and constructor who has achieved such success on the international stage.

“Our partnership presents the opportunity for the next generation of Morgans to embrace new technological advances, particularly with the implementation of materials such as carbon fibre and top level aerodynamics, elements that are key to LMP2 cars. What’s more, we now have the chance to develop efficient, high-end performance machinery.”

Oak Racing’s president Jacques Nicolet said "I am deeply honoured and proud that Oak Racing has been able to form a partnership with Charles Morgan and the Morgan Motor Company. Like Charles, I believe our link-up places the emphasis on the future whilst also building on the strong foundations of our individual histories.

“What really cements this union is our common interest in both the Le Mans 24 Hours and endurance racing as a whole. The 2012 running of the 24 Hours will not only represent the fiftieth anniversary of Morgan’s class win at the race but also a celebration of our new partnership."

And for those who remember another facet of Morgan – the quirky three-wheeler seen in films such as the Peter Sellers 1968 classic “The Party” – it will be good news to hear the company will be displaying its new version alongside an anniversary edition of the 4/4 and a Roadster 3.7 at this year’s Geneva show.

The new three-wheeler is likely to make it to Australia. According to spokesman Chris van Wyk, “We are working on Australian compliance for the exciting new Morgan three-wheeler and with 133 expressions of interest to date, we hope to be able to take orders for this unique vehicle later this year.”

Van Wyk says 2011 was a good year for the company in Australia, with 20 cars registered. “Whilst Morgan is intrinsically a low volume, specialist ‘boutique’ brand, it is nonetheless satisfying to see record Australian registrations,” he said.

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