The board of Morgan Cars has voted to reject Charles Morgan's appeal, leaving him officially ousted from the company his family started. In a new post on his personal blog, Morgan reveals his disappointment and his ambitious plans for the company's future.
Morgan this morning wrote a post on his site explaining that the Morgan Technologies board rejected his appeal to stay on at the company his grandfather started in 1910. Here's what he wrote:
It is incredibly disappointing news. My family and I remain very grateful for the expressions of support received from Morgan fans, workers and the public since this process began.
What's truly interesting is that Morgan at last revealed some of the possible reasons behind his dismissal. He says had plans to take the maker of hand-built sports cars and three-wheelers into the 21st century, and those plans didn't fit with what the board wanted. They included going to China, starting up a racing effort again, and maybe even doing the Gumball Rally.
I have been dismissed on what I believe are very contentious grounds. Over the last 12 months, it was made increasingly clear that my philosophy to modernise Morgan did not fit with the philosophy of the current management.
Morgan’s future cannot rely on its heritage alone. As such, I endeavoured to introduce our unique brand to new markets such as China; to take Morgan racing again; and to engage the passion of a new generation using social media, and by doing interesting things such as the Gumball Rally in a 3 Wheeler.
The aim was to give Morgan a bright future as an independent company.
[...]
I remain a major shareholder in the Morgan Motor Co and am concerned for its future. I will take time to consider my next actions and potentially explore other opportunities available to me.
It's understandable that Morgan wanted his company to grow and expand. They're amazing because they're less an automaker than a boutique of automotive craftsmen who hand-build frames from wood, but in this troubled and increasingly globalized economic climate, it's hard to make the case that they should keep doing the same things they've done since 1910 and never try anything new. Of course, this is all his view of things.
Either way, Morgan remains a major shareholder, so he still has some say in things. It will be interesting to see what his next venture will be.
Photo credit Getty Images
Hat tip to Micky!
Ousted Charles Morgan Wanted To Go To China And Take Morgan Racing