Morgan Motor Company and Pininfarina, two of the longest-established coachbuilders in the world have joined forces to present Midsummer, a celebration of the heyday of European barchetta designs. This 50-unit limited edition is based on Morgan’s latest CX-Generation Bonded Aluminium Platform and features a six-cylinder turbocharged engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.
“Midsummer is dedicated to enthusiastic individuals who will enjoy an unconventional, sensory, and analogue driving experience,” says Massimo Fumarola, Morgan CEO. “By identifying and re-interpreting Morgan’s admired ideals, Midsummer turns our legacy into a charming, sophisticated, and timeless aesthetic.”
The collaboration between Morgan and Pininfarina emerged from a wider desire by Morgan to create limited-run specials based on its CX-Generation Bonded Aluminium Platform. A chance conversation between Morgan and Pininfarina representatives led to a ‘what if?’ moment, and the project to create Midsummer was born.
Midsummer’s exaggerated proportions imbue an eccentric elegance, reminiscent of iconic Pininfarina designs of the late 30s and early 40s. Its new surfacing, particularly noticeable on the front and rear wings, gives a subtle preview of the evolving Morgan design language.
Midsummer also introduces a shoulder line to the recognisable side profile of a Morgan, required as one of the defining elements of a barchetta style. The front of the wings and the nose are unique to Midsummer. Their volume is concentric to the shape of the wheels, respecting a key design philosophy of simple primal geometry, yet differentiating it from other Morgan models.
Moving to the side profile, the existing Morgan wing shape is apparent yet introduces subtly manipulated lines. Changes to the wings were primarily due to aerodynamic requirements, most notable in the ‘lift’ in front of both the front and rear wheels. The steeper lines help keep turbulent air away from the panel.
Featured on the above-mentioned panel, just behind the front wheels, is the Pininfarina Fuoriserie badge. This specific mark is a demonstration of Midsummer’s unique status. Typically, vehicles designed by Pininfarina will feature the ‘Design by Pininfarina’ emblem. Due to the unique nature of Midsummer, Pininfarina selected the ‘Fuoriserie’ brand mark, its first application to a production car in Pininfarina’s history.
Hand-formed stainless steel lower sills, in addition to giving an aesthetic conclusion to the wings, also provide a sense of volume and an ‘undercut’. This feature is inspired by early Pininfarina designs, while its stainless-steel finish allows the vehicle to reflect the colour of its environment.
The lightweight forged 19-inch wheel – weighing just 10 kilograms – has been designed exclusively for Midsummer. A new Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyre offers an increased profile and has been selected due to its dynamic consistency and feedback. An increased proportion of tyre-to-wheel rim ratio introduces a more period aesthetic.
From the front, Morgan’s new signature headlight units – finished with silver inserts – flank the horseshoe grille which features a half-moon shape at the top of the stone guard. This half-moon shape, whilst a key design feature, also helps to direct airflow within the grille aperture. A longer rear tail is designed to accentuate the elegance of the car, and sit within half-chamfered light pods.
In the cockpit, the long bonnet leading to the wingtops gives a clear indication of where the front wheels are – a key hallmark of a Morgan. Pininfarina has reinterpreted the iconic louvres – that are normally stamped lengthways into each bonnet – with a series of hand-formed ‘piano keys’ positioned widthways.
New analogue dials have been designed exclusively for Midsummer. Handmade in the UK, the dials are finished in an off-white colour to suit the overall softness and warmth of the vehicle. The steering wheel has been re-sculpted and features a solid forged aluminium centre. Midsummer also has an enhanced Sennheiser audio system with new dashboard controls.
Midsummer continues the raw and visceral driving experience that is synonymous with Morgan sports cars. This experience is accentuated thanks to Midsummer’s barchetta style. Midsummer has a target dry weight of just 1,000kg. Adjustable Nitron dampers, tuned and manufactured specifically for Midsummer, further enhance dynamic capability.
One of the most impactful elements of Midsummer is its use of wood on the exterior of the body. Whilst wood is commonplace within Morgan sports cars, its role has remained exclusively within the body frame of each vehicle. This meant it had always been hidden from view. Midsummer’s barchetta style provided an opportunity to utilise wood to create a shoulder line, accentuating the perimeter of the cockpit.
Taking inspiration from marine applications, beautifully sculpted wooden structures surround the cabin and create the shoulder line. Hand-formed using high-quality and durable teak, hundreds of individual layers of wood – no more than 0.6mm thick – are delicately laminated together to complete each section.
Each vehicle will feature nine individually crafted teak sections, taking more than 30 hours to create, and utilising 83 square metres of sustainably sourced teak. Most notable are the dashboard tops, which feature 126 layers of teak each, and the door top sections which feature 120 layers each. Using multiple layers as opposed to a single piece of wood, adds the strength and durability necessary for exposed elements.
Whilst Morgan and Pininfarina worked together to design Midsummer, Morgan led on the engineering front due to its unique production methods. The number of hand-formed elements in Midsummer is higher than other Morgan models and features greater complexity. The hand-beaten aluminium body panels take more than 250 hours to produce. As such, each vehicle will take longer to progress through Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory than other models.
All of the 50 Midsummers were sold to customers through a series of exclusive preview sessions. Every customer will have individual consultation with Morgan’s designers to help tailor their cars, ensuring every Midsummer is a true one-off. Production begins in 2024, Morgan’s 115th year, and will conclude during 2025. Midsummer’s first public debut is anticipated at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, in July.
