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| The KITTS programme was the realisation of a dream for Matthew with huge benefits to the company. Independently-owned Malvern-based Morgan Motor Company has been manufacturing unique sports cars for almost a century. Morgans are traditionally handmade with a wooden (ash) frame and aluminium metal bodywork hand-moulded to the wood. Morgan undertook a KITTS programme with the Birmingham City University, with the objective of designing and launching its 'new' traditional four-seater sports car. it wanted a new designer to make the car aesthetically pleasing. The project encompassed the design process and followed through to the full build stage. Graduate Matthew Humphries took up the challenge, utilising the knowledge and skills obtained during his Degree in Automotive Design. His work involved him applying his talents to the overall design of the car, which he was then able to pursue through to final build. The exciting 4-seater Morgan was ready for display at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The focus of the process was the need to design the sports car, using the traditional coach-building techniques unique to Morgan, yet achieve a 'look' appropriate to the 21st century. Matthew redesigned the interior seating positioning in order to help achieve a lightweight body shape, enhancing the attractive, powerful look of the car. This striking new Morgan boasts a visual centre console, exposing hand-carved wood, with an aluminium skin moulded around the wooden structure. The car is more user-friendly, linking modern features to the traditional build associated with the car. The new Morgan remains a quality, unique product, hand-crafted for passionate enthusiasts. "This programme allowed for the designer to make his dream happen, to allow the transition from design to production - a very productive start for Matthew. It is a strong way forward as you are dealing with an industry that has always been engineering, rather than designer led" said David Arbuckle, University of Central England. |
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