Photo: Morgan
The U.S. Congress passed the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act back in December. It’s a $305 billion highway funding bill that happens to include a set of provisions. If the regulations take effect, the kit car and replica car industries would benefit from it, as well as the retrolicious Morgan.
According to Isis Imports Ltd., a U.S.-based Morgan dealership since 1968, FAST Act could potentially allow “to offer NEW traditional 4-wheeled Morgans in the near future.” Put plainly, the bill signed into action by President Barack Obama allows for manufacturers to sell replicas of cars designed at least 25 years ago.
It’s rather curious how Morgan, an automaker that doesn’t assemble its cars in the United States, would qualify. If Isis Imports Ltd. is willing to go the extra mile, the company could go for a complete knock down (CKD) program. What that means is Morgan would import its four-wheeled models in the U.S. piece by piece, with assembly to be taken care of by the forenamed dealer. Sounds doable, doesn't it?
The only model Morgan sells as new in America is the 3 Wheeler, which is priced at £31,800 plus a surcharge of £1,500. In other words, a 3 Wheeler will set you back $47,345 converted at current exchange rates. Unfortunately for those people in the market for a 4/4, Plus 8 or a Roadster, they will have to wait for Isis Imports Ltd. and the Morgan Motor Company to find a solution that complies with the FAST Act.
They won’t have to wait too long, though. Twelve months were given to the NHTSA and EPA to enact the rules after the bill was signed, which means early 2017 should be the season to go shopping. Steve Morris, the managing director of the Morgan Motor Company, suggests that could happen sooner than our estimate.
“There are still going to be different requirements in some states... But I think that by the third quarter of this year we’ll be back with some of the heritage models,” Morris declared to the peeps from Car & Driver.
It’s rather curious how Morgan, an automaker that doesn’t assemble its cars in the United States, would qualify. If Isis Imports Ltd. is willing to go the extra mile, the company could go for a complete knock down (CKD) program. What that means is Morgan would import its four-wheeled models in the U.S. piece by piece, with assembly to be taken care of by the forenamed dealer. Sounds doable, doesn't it?
The only model Morgan sells as new in America is the 3 Wheeler, which is priced at £31,800 plus a surcharge of £1,500. In other words, a 3 Wheeler will set you back $47,345 converted at current exchange rates. Unfortunately for those people in the market for a 4/4, Plus 8 or a Roadster, they will have to wait for Isis Imports Ltd. and the Morgan Motor Company to find a solution that complies with the FAST Act.
They won’t have to wait too long, though. Twelve months were given to the NHTSA and EPA to enact the rules after the bill was signed, which means early 2017 should be the season to go shopping. Steve Morris, the managing director of the Morgan Motor Company, suggests that could happen sooner than our estimate.
“There are still going to be different requirements in some states... But I think that by the third quarter of this year we’ll be back with some of the heritage models,” Morris declared to the peeps from Car & Driver.
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