Why Morgans Are “Green”
By Gunnar Heinrich
READING through the Morgan Motor Company’s website, yours came across a rather curious assertion that the Morgan 4/4 was in point of fact every bit as “Green” as the saintly emerald glow that radiates from each and every Toyota Prius.
To prove this point, the British sports car maker posted a self-congratulatory link on their website to a scholarly essay written by two academics from Cardiff University titled, “Why Morgans Are Green.”
According to their analysis, if one takes account of most sports cars’ purpose-built designs, high performance automobiles (like Morgans) can achieve a higher Environmental Rating For Vehicles (ERV) than “generalist” hatchbacks.
“The low weight helps Morgan cars achieve relatively low fuel consumption and as a result relatively low levels of toxic emissions (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, NOx and particulates) and CO2 emissions (164g/km for the 4/4 1800 – which is around the EU average for all cars),” Paul Nieuwenhuis and Peter Wells wrote.
Messrs Nieuwenhuis and Wells also eluded to Morgan’s prodigious use of wood (frames, interior accents, etc) that added to the car’s biodegradable nature.
It’s not clear who commissioned this essay or if it’s just the academic musings of two really big Morgan fans.
Either way, their research asks us to consider the great green advantages of having our cake and knowing that there’s plenty more where that came from.
[Linked: The Morgan Motor Company]
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Johannes Schlörb | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
Nice one, Gunnar! Interestingly the Prius comparison also makes other cars look much greener. In fact it even makes the Hummer look a bit green, because if you take every aspect into account, especially the manufacturing process and the possibility (or not) of recycling the scrap later on, a Prius has done much more damage to the environment already long before it’s been even delivered to Leo DiCaprio, simply because it cost so much more energy and resources to manufacture and – after a short car life – recycle it (especially the electric parts) than -for instance- a Hummer. That’s fact and there’s a study on that, as well. I just can’t find it right now.
As you know it’s a true midget sportscar, maybe comparable to the Elise. A fun machine and so to speak the ollyboat to the huge (tri-)starship.
But the funny thing is: my second car besides the 560SEL (which might also look much greener now) is a Smart Roadster. Don’t laugh!
The Prius emits 134g/km CO2 according to a test by German automobile club ADAC. My Smart Roadster Brabus with its tiny but yet powerful 101PS turbo engine emits only 122g/km. Now besides the climate catastrophist aspect of it: guess which car is more fun to drive?
http://schloerb.smugmug.com/gallery/4076692_rZa8p
I like being green, especially with my matt-finished BMW-maroon-brown limited edition plastic racer!
Gunnar | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
What a cool combo – a Brabus SMART with a 560SEL. You’ve got the best of both Teutonic realms, Johannes!
And by the way, those pictures you took of your SMART are just awesome. Very, very well done, sir.
Johannes Schloerb | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
Thanks, sir!
Curiously I bought the Smart just after the 560SEL in 2006, in advance of its first winter. On October 31st the Benz is sent to sleep for five months every year, so I needed a robust car for the time being. At first a G-class Diesel came into my mind, but soon I realized it couldn’t be a Mercedes at all or otherwise I would have had a bad conscience all the time. A Mercedes ought to be something special – nothing to use just as a “winter bitch”.
So I was looking for a car that would barely suffer from salt on the streets. One that would be literally made of plastic. A smart forTwo – the Baby Benz for a good conscience, I thought!
When my girlfriend and I entered the Smart dealership in Frankfurt to ask for used forTwos, they had this seductive little sportscar standing in front of (or actually below) their counter. Half an hour later it was mine…
As you know, the “Roadster” had already been discontinued in 2005 after just 2 years, and until today they still didn’t sell all of them! The “Collector’s Edition” was one desperate attempt of Daimler to get at least a small share of them sold to smart Enthusiasts. This Edition was limited to only 50 cars worldwide, and it is based upon the “Brabus XClusive” edition with all available options plus matt-brown finish on baby-poo-brown leather. Needless to say, that they didn’t even manage to sell these hyper deluxe noble smart sportscars. Not even to “Collectors”. Simply because it had a price tag of 31,500 Euros!!! Hence soon the prices dropped and I got this one for less than two thirds of its original price. Still a lot for a “plastic toy”, and yet a very fun and rare automobile worth every cent of it. Among all the 911s, Maseratis, Bentleys, R8s etc. populating the streets of Europe’s financial Capital Frankfurt, the tiny smart attracts all eyes.
For smart enthusiasts though it is a sacrilege, that I use this car as a daily driver and “winter bitch”. But man has to prioritise, right?
Gunnar | Jun 12, 2008 | Reply
If it’s a Brabus Smart or a 560SEL that has to go through winter, damn straight the Smart’s on call!
Mmm… Baby poo leather…