Are Aero 's any good on the track??
Discussion
A new company car has made me reconsider hanging onto my CSL and perhaps getting something a little more extreme as a third car.
I've only done one track day in the CSL but was hooked (and very impressed).
Currently I'm considering an Ultima or an Aero 8 but want to know if the Aero would be any good at trackdays and does it have any weak points on the track e.g. Brakes, Understeer...
Look forward to your comments PH'ers
I've only done one track day in the CSL but was hooked (and very impressed).
Currently I'm considering an Ultima or an Aero 8 but want to know if the Aero would be any good at trackdays and does it have any weak points on the track e.g. Brakes, Understeer...
Look forward to your comments PH'ers
I have not run the aero in just yet but once it is i will definitly be bringing her on track. I don't see why she wouldn't be a hell of alot of fun but then again an ultima is built for the track! It depends what you want most really. You could always go and get yourself a westie or a lotus for cheap and bring those to track days. I have a lotus but i will definitly be driving aero on track any oppertunity i get! I'll let you know once i've had a go in her!
funky said:
I have not run the aero in just yet but once it is i will definitly be bringing her on track. I don't see why she wouldn't be a hell of alot of fun but then again an ultima is built for the track! It depends what you want most really. You could always go and get yourself a westie or a lotus for cheap and bring those to track days. I have a lotus but i will definitly be driving aero on track any oppertunity i get! I'll let you know once i've had a go in her!
Thanks for that, look forward to an update.
Very quiet regarding this post, perhaps Morgan owners don't 'track' their cars??
I track mine.
The brakes are incredible, but make sure you get decent brake fluid - with the standard fluid it gets fade that comes very suddenly and can catch you out without warning. On an airfield trackday I was braking from 130 into a sharp left hand corner, and there was absolutely nothing there. Luckily there was loads of straight to run off onto.
With the amount of power and torque it is much more prone to oversteer - understeer is not a problem. It is a car you steer as much with the right foot on a track as you do with the steering wheel.
Mine is a series 1, and braking hard from a fast straight into a corner going down through the gears quickly can make the rear end very unsettled, but once you get used to this it isn't an issue. Aparently this is not a problem from the series 2 on.
I've found it very fast and good fun - there isn't much bar the decent caterfields that are faster, but in a straight line it'll demolish most cars.
My only bug bare is the front end which picks up loads of stone chips because of the shape. I had a respray after the last season cos I like it looking good, but I'm trying to find a "bra" to cover it for this year.
Watch the noise too - it is an incredible sounding car with the sports exhausts and I wouldn't have it without. BUT I can only just get on a 105dB trackday. On the last one it was measured at 104.5dB at 4000rpm, and I was asked not to drop the revs suddenly as it becomes much louder than this with bangs and pops! I kept getting tested all day.
It is a very driver focused car with no aids to compliment you, but it is incredibly rewarding and teaches you alot about car control. The reliability is also fantastic - with the engine, gearbox and drive chain from BMW in such a light car.
I think it's great for track!
The brakes are incredible, but make sure you get decent brake fluid - with the standard fluid it gets fade that comes very suddenly and can catch you out without warning. On an airfield trackday I was braking from 130 into a sharp left hand corner, and there was absolutely nothing there. Luckily there was loads of straight to run off onto.
With the amount of power and torque it is much more prone to oversteer - understeer is not a problem. It is a car you steer as much with the right foot on a track as you do with the steering wheel.
Mine is a series 1, and braking hard from a fast straight into a corner going down through the gears quickly can make the rear end very unsettled, but once you get used to this it isn't an issue. Aparently this is not a problem from the series 2 on.
I've found it very fast and good fun - there isn't much bar the decent caterfields that are faster, but in a straight line it'll demolish most cars.
My only bug bare is the front end which picks up loads of stone chips because of the shape. I had a respray after the last season cos I like it looking good, but I'm trying to find a "bra" to cover it for this year.
Watch the noise too - it is an incredible sounding car with the sports exhausts and I wouldn't have it without. BUT I can only just get on a 105dB trackday. On the last one it was measured at 104.5dB at 4000rpm, and I was asked not to drop the revs suddenly as it becomes much louder than this with bangs and pops! I kept getting tested all day.
It is a very driver focused car with no aids to compliment you, but it is incredibly rewarding and teaches you alot about car control. The reliability is also fantastic - with the engine, gearbox and drive chain from BMW in such a light car.
I think it's great for track!
Most owners ahve tracked their cars at some point - and the Aero8 in the GT series has turned in some very respectable results.
I alsways tell people it's like having a 'big' caterham - it really does work well on a track. You'd need a few tweaks potentially - perhaps stiffen it up a little more - or get yourself one of the 12 Aero8 GTN's built to commemmorate the le mans cars that are pretty much track biased already.
I alsways tell people it's like having a 'big' caterham - it really does work well on a track. You'd need a few tweaks potentially - perhaps stiffen it up a little more - or get yourself one of the 12 Aero8 GTN's built to commemmorate the le mans cars that are pretty much track biased already.
So do I, but on an irregular basis. If you look at my profile you will see a photo of 18 Aero's on the track at the Le Luc Circuit, near St. Tropez, last September 2006. A full write-up can be obtained on the MMC site, as follows:
www.morgan-motor.co.uk/sales/aero_club.html
My car at the time was the Reflex Green one that is in the fore-front of the first photograph.
There should be a similar event this year, to which I will go, and I also have bookings for the Goodwood track in August and September 2007.
I agree with mas's comments on the car, it is very well-balanced and over-steer is available almost at will. There were a number of mechanical changes made to the car from the Series II onwards and these included larger discs and 6-pot callipers on the front, instead of the previous 4-pot. I have not experienced fade with the new brakes, even when Jean Pierre Jabouille drove me in my car for some 8-10 laps of Le Luc at speeds that I could only dream of being able to achieve.
There is a growing interest in the Aero 8 amongst enthusiasts, many of them new to the Morgan marque and IMHO it makes a great track car. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
www.morgan-motor.co.uk/sales/aero_club.html
My car at the time was the Reflex Green one that is in the fore-front of the first photograph.
There should be a similar event this year, to which I will go, and I also have bookings for the Goodwood track in August and September 2007.
I agree with mas's comments on the car, it is very well-balanced and over-steer is available almost at will. There were a number of mechanical changes made to the car from the Series II onwards and these included larger discs and 6-pot callipers on the front, instead of the previous 4-pot. I have not experienced fade with the new brakes, even when Jean Pierre Jabouille drove me in my car for some 8-10 laps of Le Luc at speeds that I could only dream of being able to achieve.
There is a growing interest in the Aero 8 amongst enthusiasts, many of them new to the Morgan marque and IMHO it makes a great track car. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
Hi there,
I'm a Morgan owner but not an Aero owner. Mogs of all sorts are used on tracks, hillclimbs, PCTs, rallies, you name it.
If you want to talk to someone with a lot of experience, and a good dealer too, take a look at Richard Thorne's website, the Aero guys will know him:
www.rtcc.co.uk/british_gt_championship/view.html
and give them a call if you want to talk to serious Aero track people.
Cheers,
Lawrence
I'm a Morgan owner but not an Aero owner. Mogs of all sorts are used on tracks, hillclimbs, PCTs, rallies, you name it.
If you want to talk to someone with a lot of experience, and a good dealer too, take a look at Richard Thorne's website, the Aero guys will know him:
www.rtcc.co.uk/british_gt_championship/view.html
and give them a call if you want to talk to serious Aero track people.
Cheers,
Lawrence
Thanks for the info, I checked out the Ultima factory recently and went for a test drive in a 500 bhp model, great fun but very, very raw!
I'm going to find a 2nd hand Aero 8 somewhere near me and see what it's like to drive (and might even buy it if it's good enough).
Cheers,
Robin.
I'm going to find a 2nd hand Aero 8 somewhere near me and see what it's like to drive (and might even buy it if it's good enough).
Cheers,
Robin.
Dont forget the morgan driving experience, they run an aero on track and their chief instructor was one of the drivers in the succesful Aero 8 participation at the Silverstone 24hrs. try www.morgandrivingexperience.com
Aeroman said:
Any news Robin, have you been able to test-drive an Aero and what were your impressions?
Brian
Brian
Howdy, sorry to say the plan has changed as the company car is out due to taxation on it plus i get 40p per mile for using my car (the company are actively reducing company cars, not sure why) and so I'm retaining the CSL for day to day work AND...
I'm going to build an Ultima with my brother later in the year, due to order it in July.
I drove the Ultima and was mightly impressed and I'm ashamed to say I didn't drive a Morgan as i couldn't find any within a reasonable distance from my house/place of work etc... (and I was prepared to travel 50-80 miles etc..).
There will be a Morgan Aero in my future somewhere though...
Oh, I still want to see one in the flesh so will keep looking in the forum for club days...
Cheers for the help.
Robin.
robm3 said:
There will be a Morgan Aero in my future somewhere though...
Robin.
Robin.
Sorry to hear we've 'lost' you Robin, though I must adnit that the Ultima is a tasty machine.
Please don't cross the Aero of your list of future possibles, as they remain one of motoring life's great secrets! Do read the write-up of the Aero in the current edition of EVO and this post is also relevant:
www.talkmorgan.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3381&page=1#Post3381
Cheers
Brian
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