Ex-Lambo Exec Knows How To Make Morgan A Success

The famous British manufacturer, Morgan, has a new CEO. Massimo Fumarola recently left his job as Lamborghini’s Special Projects Manager to take over the wheel of a brand arguably stuck in the last century. Not that being stuck in the prime days of motoring is necessarily a bad thing. Look at the new Super 3 and tell us you don’t want one.

Fumarola recently sat down with Autocar and stated how he’d be dragging the old-school manufacturer into the modern world. Thankfully, Fumarola mentions that his number one priority is maintaining Morgan’s authenticity. He’s also aware that Morgan needs a broader audience if it’s going to survive, which means it needs to be more appealing to a younger audience.

“Heritage isn’t insurance,” said Fumarola. “You must have good plans for your future.”

Morgan currently produces roughly 800 cars per year, and 70% of those are exported mainly to Germany, France, and the US. Morgan earlier said it wants to ramp production up to 1,500 cars per year. The main driving force behind this will be a new Morgan Super 3, powered by the same 1.5-liter turbocharged triple used in the Europe-only Ford Fiesta ST we’ve been so cruelly denied.

The good news is that the Morgan Super 3 is coming to the US. The rules around three-wheelers are less strict than four-wheelers, which means less red tape. The Super 3 has no direct rival in the US. If you prefer a car with four wheels, get a new Toyota GR86. It’s also significantly cheaper than the circa $56,600 Morgan will likely charge.

“We believe we have the products to attract a younger generation of owners. Tradition is fine, but we also have an opportunity to make Morgan a more adventurous lifestyle brand. Our owners tell us this themselves,” said Fumarola.

To get there, Morgan has a few things to consider. In the interview, Fumarola and Steve Morris (former CEO and now executive chairman) have to make a few tough choices. First, it needs to decide whether the brand needs to add a model to the range, consisting of the Morgan Plus Four, Plus Six, and Super 3.

Morgan also needs a partner for the EV era if it decides to go that route. It recently hired Matthew Hole as the head of electrification, but that could mean hybrid instead of full BEVs.

Fumarola claims to be a life-long Morgan fan. “What I have always liked best about Morgan is how the car can add so much to an owner’s quality of life,” he said. “With some big brands, there is always a certain aloofness. You have a great car, but not everybody feels able to talk to you about it. When you’re in a Morgan, nobody needs to keep their distance. Driving one of our cars is about joy, freedom, and friendship, as well as fun.”